SB0138 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB102 10506 RAM 15835 b

102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
SB0138

Introduced 2/9/2021, by Sen. Donald P. DeWitte

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

625 ILCS 5/1-103	from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 1-103
625 ILCS 5/6-419	from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 6-419

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that "approved driver education course" includes online instruction. Provides that the Secretary of State may permit a course provider of a driver training school to offer the course online if the course provider is able to verify: (i) the identity of the person taking the course; (ii) and that the person completes the entire course. Provides that a fee charged by the course provider shall bear a reasonable relationship to the cost of the course. Providers that the Secretary shall post, on the Secretary of State's website, a list of approved course providers, the fees charged by the course providers, and contact information for each provider. Provides that the course provider shall collect an additional $5 to be paid to the Secretary for administering the program and such collected fees shall be deposited into the Driver Services Administration Fund.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning transportation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Illinois Vehicle Code is amended by changing Sections 1-103 and 6-419 as follows:

(625 ILCS 5/1-103) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 1-103)

Sec. 1-103. Approved driver education course. (a) Any course of driver education approved by the State Board of Education, offered by public or private schools maintaining grades 9 through 12, and meeting at least the minimum requirements of the "Driver Education Act", as now or hereafter amended, (b) any course of driver education, including online instruction, offered by a school licensed to give driver education instructions under this Act which meets at least the minimum educational requirements of the "Driver Education Act", as now or hereafter amended, and is approved by the State Board of Education, (c) any course of driver education given in another State to an Illinois resident attending school in such State and approved by the State administrator of the Driver Education Program of such other State, or (d) any course of driver education given at a Department of Defense Education Activity school that is approved by the Department of Defense Education Activity and taught by an adult driver education instructor or traffic safety officer.

(Source: P.A. 96-740, eff. 1-1-10.)

(625 ILCS 5/6-419) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 6-419)

Sec. 6-419. Rules and regulations.

(a) The Secretary is authorized to prescribe by rule standards for the eligibility, conduct and operation of driver training schools, and instructors and to adopt other reasonable rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act. The Secretary may adopt rules exempting particular types of driver training schools from specific statutory provisions in Sections 6-401 through 6-424, where application of those provisions would be inconsistent with the manner of instruction offered by those schools. The Secretary, in consultation with the State Board of Education, shall adopt course content standards for driver education for those persons under the age of 18 years, which shall include the operation and equipment of motor vehicles. After June 30, 2017, the course content standards for driver education provided by a driver training school to those persons under the age of 18 years shall include instruction concerning law enforcement procedures for traffic stops, including a demonstration of the proper actions to be taken during a traffic stop and appropriate interactions with law enforcement.

(b) The Secretary may permit a course provider to offer the course online if the Secretary is satisfied the course provider has established adequate procedures for verifying:

(1) the identity of the person taking the course online; and

(2) the person completes the entire course.

The Secretary shall establish a method of electronic verification of a student's successful completion of the course.

The fee charged by the course provider shall bear a reasonable relationship to the cost of the course. The Secretary shall post on the Secretary of State's website a list of approved course providers, the fees charged by the providers, and contact information for each provider.

In addition to any other fee charged by the course provider, the course provider shall collect a fee of $5 from each student to offset the costs incurred by the Secretary in administering this program. The $5 shall be submitted to the Secretary within 14 days of the day on which it was collected. All fees received by the Secretary shall be deposited into the Driver Services Administration Fund.

(Source: P.A. 99-720, eff. 1-1-17.)