BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  AB 1113
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   May 8, 2013

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                  Mike Gatto, Chair

                   AB 1113 (Frazier) - As Amended:  April 16, 2013 

          Policy Committee:                               
          TransportationVote:15-1

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          Yes    Reimbursable:              No

           SUMMARY  

          This bill strengthens certain aspects of the state's Provisional  
          Licensing Law. Specifically, this bill:

          1)Requires a person to hold an instructional driver's permit for  
            a minimum of nine months, instead of six months, prior to  
            applying for a provisional driver's license (PDL).  

          2)Requires all PDL restrictions to remain in effect for  
            provisional licensees until they reach 18 years of age, rather  
            than just for the first 12 months after receiving their PDL.  

          3)Prohibits a provisional licensee from driving between the  
            hours of 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. (instead of from 11 p.m. to 5  
            a.m.), except as specified. 

          4)Prohibits a provisional licensee from transporting passengers  
            under 21 years of age (instead of under 20 years of age),  
            except as specified.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Minor one-time cost (about $30,000) for DMV to modify forms and  
          publications.

           COMMENTS  

           1)Purpose  . AB 1113 intends to strengthen several key PDL  
            provisions that research has shown to be effective in reducing  
            accident rates among young drivers. In a 2012 study, the AAA  
            Foundation reported that states with passenger and nighttime  








                                                                  AB 1113
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            restrictions experienced a reduction in fatal accidents  
            amongst 16- and 17-year-old drivers.  This study also  
            concluded that stronger nighttime and passenger restrictions  
            are effective tools in further reducing accident rates for  
            this age group.

           2)Background  . SB 1329 (Leslie)/Chapter 760 of 1997, enacted the  
            state's initial statutory scheme for graduated drivers'  
            licenses (GDLs), placing restrictions on the activities  
            (driving at night, driving with teenaged passengers, etc.) of  
            16- and 17-year old drivers for the initial phase of  
            licensure.

            AB 1474 (Maze)/Chapter 337 of 2005, extended the time frame,  
            from 6 to 12 months, during which a provisional licensee is  
            prohibited from operating a vehicle while transporting  
            individuals under the age of 20.  It also prohibited  
            provisional licensees from driving between the hours of 11:00  
            p.m. and 5:00 a.m., instead of 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m.,  
            during their first 12 months of licensure, without a signed  
            statement attesting that the driver's assistance is needed for  
            medical, employment, schooling, or family transportation  
            purposes.

            The PDL program is widely perceived to be a success in  
            reducing the number of accidents, injuries, and deaths among  
            teenage drivers. According to the AAA study, in 1995, prior to  
            the widespread introduction of PDL programs, 2,667 drivers  
            ages 16-17 were involved in fatal crashes nationwide.  By  
            2010, the number of fatal accidents for this cohort dropped  
            57%, to 1,150 fatal crashes.

           3)Related Legislation  . AB 724 (Cooley), also on today's  
            committee agenda, extends the PDL requirements to those under  
            age 20 instead of under age 18.

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081