(A)

(1) The director of public safety, subject to Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, shall adopt and prescribe such rules concerning the administration and enforcement of this chapter as are necessary to protect the public. The rules shall require an assessment of the holder of a probationary instructor license. The director shall inspect the school facilities and equipment of applicants and licensees and examine applicants for instructor's licenses.

(2) The director shall adopt rules governing online driver education courses that may be completed via the internet to satisfy the classroom instruction under division (C) of this section. The rules shall do all of the following:

(a) Establish standards that an online driver training enterprise must satisfy to be licensed to offer an online driver education course via the internet, including, at a minimum, proven expertise in providing driver education and an acceptable infrastructure capable of providing secure online driver education in accord with advances in internet technology. The rules shall allow an online driver training enterprise to be affiliated with a licensed driver training school offering in-person classroom instruction, but shall not require such an affiliation.

(b) Establish content requirements that an online driver education course must satisfy to be approved as equivalent to twenty-four hours of in-person classroom instruction;

(c) Establish attendance standards, including a maximum number of course hours that may be completed in a twenty-four-hour period;

(d) Allow an enrolled applicant to begin the required eight hours of actual behind-the-wheel instruction upon completing at least two hours of course instruction and being issued a certificate of enrollment by a licensed online driver training enterprise;

(e) Establish any other requirements necessary to regulate online driver education.

(B) The director shall administer and enforce this chapter.

(C) The rules shall require twenty-four hours of in-person classroom instruction or completion of an approved, equivalent online driver education course offered via the internet by a licensed online driver training enterprise, and eight hours of actual behind-the-wheel instruction conducted on public streets and highways of this state for all beginning drivers of noncommercial motor vehicles who are under age eighteen. The rules also shall require the classroom instruction or online driver education course for such drivers to include instruction on both of the following:

(1) The dangers of driving a motor vehicle while using an electronic wireless communications device to write, send, or read a text-based communication;

(2) The dangers of driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of a controlled substance, prescription medication, or alcohol.

(D) The rules shall state the minimum hours for classroom and behind-the-wheel instruction required for beginning drivers of commercial trucks, commercial cars, buses, and commercial tractors, trailers, and semitrailers.

(E)

(1) The department of public safety may charge a fee to each online driver training enterprise in an amount sufficient to pay the actual expenses the department incurs in the regulation of online driver education courses.

(2) The department shall supply to each licensed online driver training enterprise certificates to be used for certifying an applicant's enrollment in an approved online driver education course and a separate certificate to be issued upon successful completion of an approved online driver education course. The certificates shall be numbered serially. The department may charge a fee to each online driver training enterprise per certificate supplied to pay the actual expenses the department incurs in supplying the certificates.

(F) The director shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code governing an abbreviated driver training course for adults that must be completed by any applicant for an initial driver's license who is eighteen years of age or older and who failed the road or maneuverability test required under division (A)(2) of section 4507.11 of the Revised Code prior to attempting the test a second or subsequent time.

Amended by 132nd General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 49, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2017.

Amended by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 53, §101.01, eff. 7/1/2015.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.127, HB 487, §101.01, eff. 9/10/2012.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.106, HB 99, §1, eff. 8/31/2012.

Effective Date: 10-11-2002 .