Vehicles: instruction permits: provisional licenses.

(1) Existing law authorizes the Department of Motor Vehicles, for good cause, to issue an instruction permit to a physically and mentally qualified person who is at least 15 years and 6 months of age and who has, among other qualifications, successfully completed an approved course in automobile driver education. Existing law requires a person, prior to the issuance of an instruction permit, to have complied with one of 3 alternative programs of driver education and training. This bill would reduce the number of programs to 2 and would revise the requirements of those programs. The bill would also require that the instruction permit not be issued until that person is enrolled in an approved driver training course and completes the first 2 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction. The instruction permit would not be valid until the permit is signed by the instructor. This bill would also require that a person be prohibited from commencing an approved course in automobile driver education prior to attaining 15 years of age. (2) Existing law authorizes a person, with immediate possession of a valid permit, to operate a motor vehicle, when accompanied by, and under the immediate supervision of, a California licensed driver with a valid license who is 18 years of age or older, with exceptions. This bill would change the minimum age of the California licensed driver required to accompany and supervise a person with immediate possession of a valid permit in the operation of a motor vehicle, to 25 years of age. (3) Existing law authorizes the issuance of a provisional driver's license to a person at least 16 years of age, but under 18 years of age. Existing law requires a person, prior to the issuance of a provisional license, to complete 50 hours of supervised driving practice and, upon application for the provisional license, submit a certification of a parent, spouse, guardian, or licensed or certified driving instructor that the applicant has completed the required amount of driving practice and is prepared to take the driving test. This bill would additionally require the parent, spouse, or guardian to complete a debriefing with the driving instructor. The bill would require that before obtaining a provisional license the person successfully complete an approved course of driver training conducted by a California secondary school, licensed driving school, or equivalent instruction in a secondary school of another state or a driving school licensed by another state, or completes an approved integrated driver education and training program. (4) This bill would make conforming changes.