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Bill Text

S1915 

SENATE, No. 1915 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Senator LATHAM TIVER

District 8 (Atlantic and Burlington)

Senator ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT

District 31 (Hudson)

Co-Sponsored by:

Senator Henry

SYNOPSIS

���� "Securing Access to Funding for Educating 
Drivers (SAFE) Act"; establishes NJ Behind-The-Wheel Driver Education 
Scholarship Program; appropriates $1 million.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative 
Counsel.

��

An Act establishing the New Jersey Behind-The-Wheel Driver 
Education Scholarship Program, supplementing Title 39 of the Revised Statutes, 
and making an appropriation.

���� Be It 
Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of 
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.� This act shall be known 
and may be cited as the �Securing Access to Funding for Educating Drivers 
(SAFE) Act.�

���� 2.� As used in P.L.��� , 
c.���� (C.������� ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill):

���� �Commission� means the New 
Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission.

���� �Low-income household� means a 
household that is at or below twice the poverty threshold as that threshold is 
determined annually by the United States Census Bureau.

���� �Program� means the New Jersey 
Behind-The-Wheel Driver Education Scholarship Program established pursuant to 
section 3 of P.L.���� , c.���� (C.�������� ) (pending before the Legislature as 
this bill).

���� �Scholarship� means a 
scholarship awarded under the New Jersey Behind-The-Wheel Driver Education 
Scholarship Program.

���� �Six-hour behind-the-wheel 
driver education course� means the six-hour behind the wheel driver education 
course conducted by a drivers' school duly licensed pursuant to the provisions 
of P.L.1951, c.216 (C.39:12-1 et seq.) that is required for individuals between 
the ages of 16 and 17 pursuant to section 6 of P.L.1977, c.25 (C:39:3-13.2a) to 
obtain a special learner�s permit.

���� 3.� a.� There is established 
within the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission the New Jersey Behind-The-Wheel 
Driver Education Scholarship Program.� The purpose of the program shall be to 
provide scholarships to eligible individuals from low-income households to 
cover the costs of the six-hour behind-the-wheel driver education course.

���� b.� Scholarships awarded under 
the program shall be in an amount to cover the full cost of the six-hour 
behind-the-wheel driver education course conducted by a drivers' school duly 
licensed pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1951, c.216 (C.39:12-1 et seq.) or 
$500, whichever is less.

���� c.� To qualify for a 
scholarship under the program an individual shall demonstrate to the commission 
that the individual:

���� (1) is a resident of the 
State;

���� (2) is between the age of 16 
and 17;

���� (3) is from a low-income 
household;

���� (4) has passed the written 
examination required pursuant to subsection b. of R.S.39:3-10, which may be 
offered as part of a course of driving education approved by the State 
Department of Education and conducted in a public, parochial, or private school 
of this State, pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1950, c.127 (C.39:3-13.1); and

���� (5) meets any other 
eligibility criteria that the commission deems appropriate.

���� d.� Interested individuals 
that meet the eligibility requirements in subsection c. of this section shall 
submit an application to the commission in a form and manner determined by the 
commission.

���� e.� The commission shall 
provide scholarships on a rolling basis, subject to the availability of funds, 
to individuals who have submitted an application to the commission pursuant to 
subsection d. of this section and meet the eligibility criteria pursuant to 
subsection c. of this section.� The commission shall determine whether a 
scholarship will be awarded within 30 days of the commission�s receipt of an 
application.

���� f.� The commission shall 
submit an annual report to the Governor, and the Legislature pursuant to 
section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), containing the following 
information:

���� (1) the number of scholarship 
applications submitted during the year;

���� (2) the number of scholarships 
provided during the year;

���� (3) the total amount of monies 
provided in the form of scholarships under the program during the year; and

���� (4) a recommendation on the 
establishment of a permanent source of funding for the program.

���� 4.� Notwithstanding any 
provision of the �Administrative Procedure Act,� P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et 
seq.) or any other law to the contrary, the commission may adopt, immediately 
upon filing with the Office of Administrative Law and no later than the 90th 
day after the effective date of P.L.��� , c.���� (C.������� ) (pending before 
the Legislature as this bill), such rules and regulations as the commission 
deems necessary to implement the provisions of P.L. , c.���� 
(C.�������� ) (p