05/06/1997 04:15 PM Senate TRA

                                                                               
         HB  11 DRIVERS LICENSE REQUIREMENTS FOR MINORS                       
                                                                              
 Number 001                                                                    
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN WARD  called the Senate Transportation Committee meeting to         
 order at 4:15 p.m. and announced  HB 11  as the next order of                 
 business before the committee.                                                
                                                                               
  JEFF LOGAN , Staff to Representative Green, explained that HB 11             
 will create a provisional or graduated drivers license for young              
 drivers.  A graduated drivers license has the following                       
 restrictions:  prohibition on driving between 1:00 a.m. and 5:00              
 a.m. and only eight points are allowed to accrue before action is             
 taken.  Representative Green originally sponsored HB 11 as a way to           
 keep young people from being in automobile accidents and deaths.              
 This has been successful in a number of states such as Oregon,                
 Washington, and California.  The intent of HB 11 is to graduate               
 young drivers into full driverhood by requiring that the young                
 person first hold an instructional permit.  The person accompanying           
 a permit holder must be at least 22 years of age and then the young           
 person moves onto a provisional license with the aforementioned               
 restrictions.  The next step would be a full drivers license.                 
                                                                               
  SENATOR GREEN  asked if HB 11 was identical to the Senate's amended          
 version last year.   JEFF LOGAN  clarified that HB 11 is the last             
 version in the Senate last year.                                              
                                                                               
  SENATOR HALFORD  seemed to believe that HB 11 would create an                
 indirect burden on parents whose children provide transportation to           
 siblings.   JEFF LOGAN  said that initially, HB 11 had broader                
 restrictions which have been narrowed to the aforementioned two               
 restrictions.                                                                 
                                                                               
  JUANITA HENSLEY , Chief of Drivers Services in the DMV, reiterated           
 that HB 11 is identical to the bill that was passed out of Senate             
 Finance last year.  Ms. Hensley pointed out that the only change              
 made in the Senate last year was the age limit of the accompanied             
 driver of an instructional permit holder from 19-22 years of age.             
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN WARD  noted that the next committee of referral for HB 11           
 is the Senate State Affairs Committee.  Chairman Ward said that he            
 would entertain a motion.                                                     
                                                                               
  SENATOR WILKEN  moved to report HB 11 out of committee with                  
 individual recommendations and accompanying fiscal notes.                     
 Without objection, it was so ordered.