Requires youth holding operators licenses or permits to maintain satisfactory grades and attendance in school

BILL NUMBER:S2070

Title of bill

An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law and the education law, in relation to requiring youth holding operator's licenses or permits to maintain satisfactory school grades and attendance

Purpose

The purpose of bill is to require students under the age of 18 to either have a high school diploma or maintain satisfactory school grades and attendance in order to be eligible and keep a New York State learner's permit or driver's license.

Summary of specific provisions

Section 1 amends section 502 of the vehicle and traffic law by adding a new subdivision 8, providing that no driver's license or learner's permit be provided to or retained by a person under eighteen years of age unless such person holds a high school diploma or equivalent diploma or is enrolled in and attending an educational program leading to such a diploma and holds a valid, current certificate of satisfactory grades and attendance from such educational program. The commissioner of motor vehicles shall suspend the license or permit of any student who ceases to hold such a certificate, and reinstate the license or permit of such student only upon receipt of notice that a certificate of satisfactory grades and attendance has been reinstated.

Section 2 adds a new section 3210-a to the education law, specifying the issuance of certificate of satisfactory grades and attendance requires maintenance of a seventy percent (2.0) grade point average and not having more than seven unexcused absences during any school quarter, fourteen per semester, or twenty-eight during the school year. The head of each school shall issue, deny, withdraw, or reinstate certificates based on adherence to these standards and notify the commissioner of motor vehicles of a pupil's change in status of compliance.

Schools may charge a fee up to twenty dollars for each certificate issued, and schools shall make efforts to assist pupils not in compliance. Pupils exempt from requirements of this section include those unable to attend programs due to disability, those unable to attend due to caring for a disabled parent, and those needing a license or permit to operate a motor vehicle due to their employment or the employment of a member of his or her family.

Section 3 sets forth the effective date.

Justification

This legislation seeks to improve overall school achievement, reduce truancy, and increase school attendance by linking these factors to one of a young person's most anticipated and desired events: getting their New York State learner's permit or driver's license.

Under this bill, in order to obtain and keep a learner's permit or driver's license, a student must maintain a satisfactory attendance record and keep a minimum GPA requirement of 2.0.

Seventeen other states currently link either school attendance or grades to acquiring or holding a learner's permit or license for those under eighteen years of age.

Further incentivizing and encouraging satisfactory achievement and attendance in New York State will help our young people develop as students and reduce the number of dropouts.

Legislative history

2014: S.7403 Referred to Transportation

Fiscal implications

None to the State.

Effective date

This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law; provided that the commissioners of motor vehicles and education are authorized to promulgate any and all rules and regulations and take any other measures necessary to implement this act on its effective date on or before such date.