A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT directing the state board of education to adopt rules allowing the provision of certain driver education instruction by electronic means.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 115C‑215 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"(b1)	To the extent practicable, and notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, driver education instruction required under subdivisions (1), (2), and (4) of subsection (b) of this section and any other provision of law may be provided by electronic means. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to permit local boards of education to develop and provide driver education instruction by electronic means in accordance with this subsection, including permitting local boards of education to enter into contracts with public or private entities to develop and provide driver education instruction by electronic means. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as authorizing the use of electronic means to satisfy any part of driver education instruction requiring actual driving experience."
SECTION 2.  No later than June 1, 2015, the State Board of Education, in consultation with the Division of Motor Vehicles, shall adopt temporary rules to implement Section 1 of this act.
SECTION 3.  For school years beginning prior to the effective date of rules adopted by the State Board of Education pursuant to Section 2 of this act, a program developed by a local board of education, or a public or private entity contracting with the local board of education, to provide driver education instruction by electronic means shall be deemed to comply with G.S. 115C‑215(b1), as enacted by Section 1 of this act, and may be implemented by the local board of education for that school year. For all other school years, the program developed by a local board of education, or a public or private entity contracting with the local board of education, to provide driver education instruction by electronic means shall conform to rules adopted by the State Board of Education pursuant to Section 2 of this act.
SECTION 4.  This act is effective when it becomes law and applies beginning with the 2015‑2016 school year.