Driver's licenses: provisional licenses.

The Brady-Jared Teen Driver Safety Act of 1997 allows for the issuance of a driver's license to an applicant who is at least 16 years of age but under 18 years of age pursuant to the provisional licensing program. A person licensed under this program is prohibited, during the first 12 months after issuance of a provisional license, from driving during the hours of 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. or from transporting passengers who are under 20 years of age, subject to specified exceptions. Under existing law, a violation of these provisions is an infraction. This bill would prohibit a person with a provisional license, at any time during the provisional period, from engaging in those prohibited activities. By expanding the scope of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.