A Democratic legislator wants to increase the prerequisites for minors getting a learner’s permit or driver’s license in Colorado. 

Rep. Mandy Lindsay of Aurora also wants to exclude individuals convicted of certain violent or sexual crimes within the last 20 years from providing behind-the-wheel instruction to minors and at-risk adults.

Under the proposal, teens 18 and under would face new requirements to legally get on the road. Notably, a teen must complete a 30-hour driver education course approved by the Colorado Department of Revenue-Division of Motor Vehicles and receive at least six hours of behind-the-wheel training with an instructor.

Under HB24-1-12, the rules for teens who live over 30 miles from a driving school would remain the same. 

Currently, teens older than 15 and a half years old but younger than 16 must complete a driver education course or a four-hour driver awareness course to get a permit. Those aged 15 to 15 and five months old must complete a driver education course, including 30 hours of driving instruction and six hours of behind-the-wheel training with a driving instructor. If the teen lives more than 30 miles from a driving school, they can instead receive at least 12 hours of training from a responsible adult. 

Once a teen receives the permit, they must have it for 12 months and complete 50 hours of supervised driving, including 10 hours of night driving, to qualify for a driver’s license. 

HB24-1-12 adds a requirement that individuals 18-20 years old must also successfully complete a four-hour prequalification driver awareness program in order to be issued a driver’s license. 

The final major component of the bill prohibits individuals convicted of certain violent or sexual crimes within the last 20 years from providing behind-the-wheel instruction to minors and at-risk adults. To enforce this rule, driving schools would be required to run fingerprint and background checks on prospective instructors.