Summary#
SB 1204, titled “Vehicles: driver training; driver training instruction; modify,” would amend Michigan’s Driver education provider and instructor act and add a section for public-school instructor-preparation programs. Its stated goal is not provided in the materials. The bill is at the introduced stage, and the supplied text cuts off before all amendments are shown.
- Driver education providers would face updated certification requirements, including a department assessment and at least three years of experience for a designated representative.
- Starting January 1, 2028, required surety bonds would rise to $100,000 for adult and teen providers and $250,000 for commercial-vehicle providers. The bill would also change how some bond claims are decided.
- The Secretary of State could approve a public school’s instructor-preparation program for school employees if it meets detailed requirements, including at least 100 hours of training.
- Teen driver education would require at least 30 hours of classroom instruction and six hours of behind-the-wheel instruction. The text also sets limits on students in the vehicle and adds required training topics.
- Instructor applications and renewals would have updated requirements, including a $150 application fee for an original certificate and specified professional development for renewals.
What it means for you#
- Driver education providers: You would have to meet the bill’s certification and operating requirements. From 2028, providers would need larger bonds; providers may have to pay more for bond coverage, but the bill does not state the premium cost.
- Instructors: Applicants would need to meet added or updated tests and other qualifications. Renewing instructors would need 12 hours of department-approved professional development, including training in first aid and CPR, reasonable accommodation, and sexual harassment and human trafficking.
- Teen students and parents: Teen courses would include at least 30 hours of classroom instruction and six hours behind the wheel. A training vehicle could carry no more than three students during behind-the-wheel instruction. The bill does not create a general new application or review process for students.
- Students with disabilities: A provider would have to refer a student who needs an assessment or training with adaptive equipment to a certified driver rehabilitation specialist or specialized instructor.
- Public schools: A public school could ask the department to approve an instructor-preparation program for its employees. The school would have to meet the bill’s requirements; approval is not automatic.
- General public: The bill would amend an existing law, not create a separate driver-training agency. It is tied to SB 1203; the supplied materials do not explain the effect of that tie.
Money#
No cost information is in the available material.
- The bill would require larger provider bonds beginning in 2028. It does not estimate providers’ costs for obtaining them.
- The stated application fee for an original instructor certificate would be $150. The supplied text is unclear about some provider fees and renewal fees.
- The bill does not provide an estimate of added public staffing or administrative costs.
What is unclear#
- The supplied text ends partway through section 43, so the amendments to sections 43, 45, 57, 59, 63, 69 and 83 cannot be fully reviewed.
- The parent Act was not supplied. I could not verify how the bill’s changes compare with current law.
- Parts of the bill text have edits joined together, making some before-and-after changes—especially provider fees—unclear.
- The bill does not say how many staff the department would need, or how much it would cost to assess providers, instructors, programs or bond claims.
- The materials do not include SB 1203, so the bill’s tie to that measure cannot be assessed.
Case for#
- The bill appears intended to set clearer training and qualification standards for driver education providers and instructors.
- Longer training and added instruction on hazards and vulnerable road users could give students more structured preparation. The bill sets requirements but does not guarantee safer driving outcomes.
- Larger bonds could provide more money to cover certain student losses if a provider commits fraud, cheating or misrepresentation.
- A public-school route to instructor preparation could give schools a way to train their own employees, if the department approves the program.
Case against#
- Higher bond requirements and new training or certification requirements could raise costs for providers or make it harder for some to operate. The bill does not estimate those effects.
- The bill gives the department a role in approving programs and conducting assessments, but the available text does not provide all the related timelines, review standards or appeal details.
- A public-school program must meet extensive requirements, including 100 hours of training and limited test attempts. That may make the route demanding for schools and candidates.
- The bond-claim process would involve a department investigation and, in some cases, a contested-case hearing. The supplied text does not explain how long claims might take.