Florida Senate - 2012                              CS for SB 122
       
       
       
       By the Committee on Transportation; and Senator Sobel
       
       
       
       
       596-01556-12                                           2012122c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to driver improvement schools and
    3         education programs for driver license applicants;
    4         amending ss. 318.1451, 322.0261, and 322.095, F.S.;
    5         requiring the curricula of such programs to include
    6         instruction on the risks associated with using a
    7         handheld electronic communication device while
    8         operating a motor vehicle; providing an effective
    9         date.
   10  
   11  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   12  
   13         Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section
   14  318.1451, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   15         318.1451 Driver improvement schools.—
   16         (2)(a) In determining whether to approve the courses
   17  referenced in this section, the department shall consider course
   18  content designed to promote safety, driver awareness, crash
   19  avoidance techniques, awareness of the risks associated with
   20  using a handheld electronic communication device while operating
   21  a motor vehicle, and other factors or criteria to improve driver
   22  performance from a safety viewpoint.
   23         Section 2. Subsection (5) of section 322.0261, Florida
   24  Statutes, is amended to read:
   25         322.0261 Driver improvement course; requirement to maintain
   26  driving privileges; failure to complete; department approval of
   27  course.—
   28         (5) In determining whether to approve a driver improvement
   29  course for the purposes of this section, the department shall
   30  consider course content designed to promote safety, driver
   31  awareness, crash avoidance techniques, awareness of the risks
   32  associated with using a handheld electronic communication device
   33  while operating a motor vehicle, and other factors or criteria
   34  to improve driver performance from a safety viewpoint.
   35         Section 3. Subsection (1) of section 322.095, Florida
   36  Statutes, is amended to read:
   37         322.095 Traffic law and substance abuse education program
   38  for driver’s license applicants.—
   39         (1) The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
   40  must approve traffic law and substance abuse education courses
   41  that must be completed by applicants for a Florida driver’s
   42  license. The curricula for the courses must provide instruction
   43  on the physiological and psychological consequences of the abuse
   44  of alcohol and other drugs, the societal and economic costs of
   45  alcohol and drug abuse, the effects of alcohol and drug abuse on
   46  the driver of a motor vehicle, the risks associated with using a
   47  handheld electronic communication device while operating a motor
   48  vehicle, and the laws of this state relating to the operation of
   49  a motor vehicle. All instructors teaching the courses shall be
   50  certified by the department.
   51         Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2012.