Bill Text: FL H1217 | 2011 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Persons with Disabilities

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-05-07 - Indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration [H1217 Detail]

Download: Florida-2011-H1217-Introduced.html

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HB 1217

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to persons with disabilities; requiring
3	law enforcement agencies to report certain criminal
4	activity and enforcement of certain regulations to the
5	Department of Law Enforcement and the Department of
6	Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles; amending s. 322.12,
7	F.S.; providing requirements for examination questions
8	pertaining to traffic regulations relating to blind
9	pedestrians; amending s. 322.095, F.S.; requiring certain
10	traffic law education programs to include the study of
11	traffic laws to assist blind persons; amending s. 943.17,
12	F.S.; requiring the basic skills course required in order
13	for law enforcement officers to obtain certification to
14	include the study of traffic laws to assist blind persons;
15	amending s. 1003.48, F.S.; requiring driver education
16	programs to include study of traffic laws to assist blind
17	persons; providing an effective date.
18
19	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
20
21	Section 1.  Law enforcement reports.-Each month, each law
22	enforcement agency in the state shall report crimes affecting
23	persons with disabilities to the Department of Law Enforcement
24	and report its enforcement of traffic regulations to assist
25	blind persons to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor
26	Vehicles. The report to the Department of Highway Safety and
27	Motor Vehicles shall include incidents of crashes involving
28	blind persons. The Department of Law Enforcement and the
29	Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles shall each
30	provide procedures for the collection and maintenance of the
31	reports in the same manner as other criminal activity and
32	enforcement reports are collected and maintained by that
33	department.
34	Section 2.  Subsection (6) is added to section 322.12,
35	Florida Statutes, to read:
36	322.12  Examination of applicants.-
37	(6)  Each examination given for a Class E driver's license
38	or a commercial driver's license under this section must include
39	one question testing the applicant's knowledge of traffic
40	regulations to assist blind persons. To pass the examination,
41	the applicant must answer that question on the examination
42	correctly. In developing questions under this subsection, the
43	department shall emphasize pedestrian right of way when a driver
44	is making a right turn at an intersection.
45	Section 3.  Subsection (1) of section 322.095, Florida
46	Statutes, is amended to read:
47	322.095  Traffic law and substance abuse education program
48	for driver's license applicants.-
49	(1)  The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
50	must approve traffic law and substance abuse education courses
51	that must be completed by applicants for a Florida driver's
52	license. The curricula for the courses must provide instruction
53	on the physiological and psychological consequences of the abuse
54	of alcohol and other drugs, the societal and economic costs of
55	alcohol and drug abuse, the effects of alcohol and drug abuse on
56	the driver of a motor vehicle, and the laws of this state
57	relating to the operation of a motor vehicle. The curricula must
58	also include the study of traffic laws to assist blind persons.
59	All instructors teaching the courses shall be certified by the
60	department.
61	Section 4.  Subsection (5) of section 943.17, Florida
62	Statutes, is amended to read:
63	943.17  Basic recruit, advanced, and career development
64	training programs; participation; cost; evaluation.-The
65	commission shall, by rule, design, implement, maintain,
66	evaluate, and revise entry requirements and job-related
67	curricula and performance standards for basic recruit, advanced,
68	and career development training programs and courses. The rules
69	shall include, but are not limited to, a methodology to assess
70	relevance of the subject matter to the job, student performance,
71	and instructor competency.
72	(5)  The commission, in consultation with the Florida
73	Violent Crime and Drug Control Council, shall establish
74	standards for basic and advanced training programs for law
75	enforcement officers in the subjects of investigating and
76	preventing violent crime. The curricula of every basic skills
77	course required in order for law enforcement officers to obtain
78	initial certification must include the study of traffic laws to
79	assist blind persons. After January 1, 1995, every basic skills
80	course required in order for law enforcement officers to obtain
81	initial certification must include training on violent crime
82	prevention and investigations.
83	Section 5.  Subsection (1) of section 1003.48, Florida
84	Statutes, is amended to read:
85	1003.48  Instruction in operation of motor vehicles.-
86	(1)  A course of study and instruction in the safe and
87	lawful operation of a motor vehicle shall be made available by
88	each district school board to students in the secondary schools
89	in the state. As used in this section, the term "motor vehicle"
90	shall have the same meaning as in s. 320.01(1)(a) and shall
91	include motorcycles and mopeds. Instruction in motorcycle or
92	moped operation may be limited to classroom instruction. The
93	curricula of every course must include the study of traffic laws
94	to assist blind persons. The course shall not be made a part of,
95	or a substitute for, any of the minimum requirements for
96	graduation.
97	Section 6.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2011.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.