The New York State Senate

                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                 8565--A

                       2017-2018 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                              July 10, 2017
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M.  of  A. L. ROSENTHAL -- read once and referred to the
  Committee on Transportation -- recommitted to the Committee on  Trans-
  portation  in  accordance  with  Assembly  Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee
  discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
  to said committee

AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in  relation  to  adding  a
  school  bus  safety  component to the pre-licensing driver's education
  course

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1.  Subparagraph  (i) of paragraph (a) and paragraphs (b) and
(d) of subdivision 4 of section 502 of the vehicle and traffic  law,  as
amended  by chapter 355 of the laws of 2017, are amended and a new para-
graph (c-4) is added to read as follows:
  (i) Upon submission of an application  for  a  driver's  license,  the
applicant  shall be required to take and pass a test, or submit evidence
of passage of a test, with respect to the laws relating to traffic,  the
laws  relating to driving while ability is impaired and while intoxicat-
ed, under the overpowering influence of "Road Rage", "Work Zone  Safety"
awareness  and  "Motorcycle  Safety" awareness as defined by the commis-
sioner, the law relating to exercising due care to avoid colliding  with
a  parked,  stopped  or  standing authorized emergency vehicle or hazard
vehicle pursuant to section eleven hundred forty-four-a of this chapter,
the ability to read and comprehend traffic signs and symbols, SCHOOL BUS
SAFETY and such other matters as the commissioner may prescribe, and  to
satisfactorily  complete  a course prescribed by the commissioner of not
less than four hours and not more than five hours, consisting of  class-
room  driver  training  and highway safety instruction or the equivalent
thereof. Such test  shall  include  at  least  seven  written  questions
concerning the effects of consumption of alcohol or drugs on the ability
of  a  person  to  operate  a  motor vehicle and the legal and financial

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                           LBD11294-03-8

A. 8565--A                          2

consequences resulting from violations of section eleven  hundred  nine-
ty-two  of  this  chapter,  prohibiting the operation of a motor vehicle
while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Such test  shall  include
one  or  more  written  questions  concerning the devastating effects of
"Road Rage" on the ability of a person to operate a  motor  vehicle  and
the  legal and financial consequences resulting from assaulting, threat-
ening or interfering with the lawful conduct of another  person  legally
using  the  roadway.  Such  test  shall  include  one  or more questions
concerning the potential dangers to persons and equipment resulting from
the unsafe operation of a motor vehicle in a work zone.  Such  test  may
include  one  or  more questions concerning motorcycle safety. Such test
may include one or more questions concerning the law for exercising  due
care  to  avoid  colliding  with  a  parked, stopped or standing vehicle
pursuant to section eleven hundred forty-four-a of this chapter.    SUCH
TEST  SHALL  INCLUDE ONE OR MORE QUESTIONS CONCERNING SCHOOL BUS SAFETY.
Such test shall be administered by the  commissioner.  The  commissioner
shall  cause  the  applicant  to take a vision test and a test for color
blindness. Upon passage of the  vision  test,  the  application  may  be
accepted and the application fee shall be payable.
  (b)  Upon successful completion of the requirements set forth in para-
graph (a) of this subdivision which shall include an  alcohol  and  drug
education component as described in paragraph (c) of this subdivision, a
"Road  Rage" awareness component as described in paragraph (c-1) of this
subdivision and a "Work Zone Safety" awareness component as described in
paragraph (c-2) of this subdivision, [and] a "Motorcycle Safety"  aware-
ness  component as described in paragraph (c-3) of this subdivision, AND
A "SCHOOL BUS SAFETY" COMPONENT AS DESCRIBED IN PARAGRAPH (C-4) OF  THIS
SUBDIVISION  the  commissioner  shall cause the applicant to take a road
test in a representative vehicle of a type prescribed by the commission-
er which shall be appropriate to the type of license for which  applica-
tion  is  made,  except  that  the  commissioner may waive the road test
requirements for certain classes of applicants. The  commissioner  shall
have  the  power  to  establish  a  program  to allow persons other than
employees of the department to  conduct  road  tests  in  representative
vehicles  when  such tests are required for applicants to obtain a class
A, B or C license. If she chooses to do so,  she  shall  set  forth  her
reasons in writing and conduct a public hearing on the matter. She shall
only establish such a program after holding the public hearing.
  (C-4)  "SCHOOL  BUS  SAFETY"  COMPONENT.  (I)  THE  COMMISSIONER SHALL
PROVIDE IN THE PRE-LICENSING COURSE, SET FORTH IN PARAGRAPH (B) OF  THIS
SUBDIVISION, A MANDATORY COMPONENT IN "SCHOOL BUS SAFETY" EDUCATION AS A
PREREQUISITE  FOR  OBTAINING  A  LICENSE TO OPERATE A MOTOR VEHICLE. THE
PURPOSE OF THE COMPONENT IS TO  EDUCATE  PROSPECTIVE  LICENSEES  ON  THE
DANGERS  OF  PASSING A SCHOOL BUS IN VIOLATION OF SECTION ELEVEN HUNDRED
SEVENTY-FOUR OF THIS CHAPTER, TO REDUCE THE NUMBER  OF  SUCH  INCIDENTS,
AND TO PROMOTE SCHOOL BUS SAFETY.
  (II) THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ESTABLISH A CURRICULUM FOR THE "SCHOOL BUS
SAFETY"  COMPONENT  WHICH SHALL INCLUDE, BUT SHALL NOT BE LIMITED TO, AN
OVERVIEW OF TRAFFIC LAWS GOVERNING OVERTAKING AND PASSING SCHOOL  BUSES,
SPECIFICALLY SECTION ELEVEN HUNDRED SEVENTY-FOUR OF THIS CHAPTER.
  (III)  IN  DEVELOPING  SUCH CURRICULUM, THE COMMISSIONER SHALL CONSULT
WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF TRANSPORTATION.
  (d) The commissioner shall make available for distribution upon regis-
tration at each location where the pre-licensing course will  be  given,
instructional  handbooks  outlining the content of the entire curriculum
of the pre-licensing course including the  information  required  to  be

A. 8565--A                          3

included  in  the course pursuant to paragraphs (c), (c-1), (c-2) [and],
(c-3) AND (C-4) of this subdivision. The commissioner shall also provide
for the additional training of the instructors necessary for the  compe-
tent  instruction  of the alcohol and drug education, "Road Rage" aware-
ness, "Work Zone Safety" awareness [and], "Motorcycle Safety"  awareness
AND "SCHOOL BUS SAFETY" subject matters of the pre-licensing course.
  §  2.  This  act  shall  take  effect on the same date and in the same
manner as chapter 355 of the laws of 2017, takes effect.