BILL ANALYSIS AND FISCAL IMPACT REPORT	Page 1 of  1

DATE: February 27, 2001	Submitted by: TAXATION AND REVENUE DEPT.
	T. GLENN ELLINGTON, SECRETARY
BILL NUMBER: HB-545 as amended by House Education Committee

SPONSOR:  Representative Martinez

BILL SHORT TITLE: Requiring an applicant for an instruction permit or a provisional driver's license to be enrolled in and attending school.

CONFLICTS, DUPLICATES, COMPANIONS: 

DESCRIPTION: Current statutes allow the Department to issue instruction permits and provisional driver's license to individuals aged 15 to 18 years that meet other requirements, for example completing a driver's education course. The proposed statute would add the requirement that individuals receiving an instruction permit or provisional license must be enrolled in and attending school. The House Education Committee Amendments require school attendance in accordance with Section 22-12-2 NMSA 1978 ---Compulsory School Attendance; Responsibility. 

EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2001

FISCAL IMPACT: The proposed statute would generate no significant impacts on state or local funding sources.

TECHNICAL ISSUES: none

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPACTS: The proposed bill will require MVD employees to verify school records and attendance. Depending on how the proposed statute is interpreted, its administrative costs could be very high.

OTHER IMPACTS AND ISSUES: 
•	By adding additional requirements for receiving a license, the proposed measure would tend to lengthen the average time required to acquire a driver's license -- among individuals not subject to the school attendance requirement, as well as among people subject to it.

•	The proposal would require school attendance and enrollment only at the time of application for driver's licenses. Enrollment and attendance is not required after the permit or license is issued.  

•	MVD would be placed in the role of enforcing school attendance statutes as a result of the proposed statute -- a function MVD employees are not trained to do. MVD's limited resources should probably focus on other tasks, for example preventing people from driving while uninsured.  A more fruitful approach might be to make the educational experience attractive to those 15 to 18 years of age.