Pennsylvania Act 2012-31 — PUBLIC SCHOOL CODE OF 1949 - TEACHING SAFE DRIVING OF MOTOR VEHICLES

Act text

Session of 2012

No. 2012-31

SB 743

AN ACT

Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An act relating to the public school system, including certain provisions applicable as well to private and parochial schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the laws relating thereto," in terms and courses of study, further providing for teaching safe driving of motor vehicles.

The General Assembly finds and declares that:

(1) Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of teen fatalities in this Commonwealth.

(2) In 2008, 154 teens between 15 and 19 years of age were killed in motor vehicle accidents in this Commonwealth.

(3) Teen driver education introduces new teen drivers to the hazards of driving and helps to reduce the risk of motor vehicle accidents involving teens.

(4) There is a shortage of professional educators certified by the Department of Education to teach driver education.

(5) Due to extreme financial strain or the lack of professional educators certified by the Department of Education to teach driver education, many school districts in this Commonwealth no longer provide theoretical driver education in the classroom.

(6) In the absence of a professional educator certified by the Department of Education to teach driver education, who is available and willing to teach in the school district, a school district should be permitted to contract with a private driver training instructor or private driver training school to teach theoretical driver education in the classroom.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. Section 1519 of the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a subsection to read:

Section 1519. Teaching of Safe Driving of Motor Vehicles.--

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(b.1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section or any other law , except for subsection (b)(6) and section 111 , a person who possesses the qualifications of a teacher or a director under section 4(2) of the act of January 18, 1952 (1951 P.L.2128, No.605), referred to as the Private Driver Education or Training School Act, shall not be required to meet the certification requirements under Article XII in order to be permitted to provide classroom instruction under this section , provided that the employing school district has posted the vacant position for a minimum of ten (10) days on the school entity's publicly available Internet website and no qualified candidate certified by the Department of Education to teach driver and safety education is available to fill the position .

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Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.

APPROVED--The 12th day of April, A.D. 2012.

TOM CORBETT