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


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Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-05-07 - Indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration [H1217 Detail]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
HB 1217

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


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