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EVM:cdc
2021 - 2022 LEGISLATURE
October 14, 2021 - Introduced by Representatives Considine, Moore Omokunde,
Ortiz-Velez, Andraca, Anderson, Bowen, Drake, Hebl, Neubauer, Pope,
Shelton and Vruwink, cosponsored by Senator Erpenbach. Referred to
Committee on Transportation.
AB620,1,3 1An Act to amend 343.06 (1) (c) and 343.16 (1) (a); and to create 343.16 (1) (cm)
2of the statutes; relating to: motor vehicle operator's license driving skills
3testing.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, with limited exceptions, an applicant for an operator's
license authorizing operation of “Class D" vehicles, which are automobiles and most
passenger vehicles, must successfully complete a knowledge test and a driving skills
(road) test. This bill allows the Department of Transportation to waive the road test
for a person if all of the following are satisfied:
1. The person is under 18 years of age.
2. The person is applying for authorization to operate only “Class D" vehicles.
3. The person has satisfactorily completed a course in driver education.
4. The person has held an instruction permit for not less than six months.
5. The person has not committed a moving violation during the six-month
period immediately preceding application.
6. An adult sponsor of the person consents to a waiver of the driving skills test.
For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as
an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB620,1
1Section 1. 343.06 (1) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB620,3,22 343.06 (1) (c) To any person under age 18 unless the person is enrolled in a
3school program or high school equivalency program and is not a habitual truant as
4defined in s. 118.16 (1) (a), has graduated from high school or been granted a
5declaration of high school graduation equivalency, or is enrolled in a home-based
6private educational program, as defined in s. 115.001 (3g), and has satisfactorily
7completed a course in driver education in public schools approved by the department
8of public instruction, or in technical colleges approved by the technical college system
9board, or in nonpublic and private schools or tribal schools, as defined in s. 115.001
10(15m), that meet the minimum standards set by the department of public
11instruction, or has satisfactorily completed a substantially equivalent course in
12driver training approved by the department and given by a school licensed by the
13department under s. 343.61, or has satisfactorily completed a substantially
14equivalent course in driver education or training approved by another state and has
15attained the age of 16, except as provided in s. 343.07 (1g). The department shall not
16issue a license to any person under the age of 18 authorizing the operation of “Class
17M" vehicles unless the person has successfully completed a basic rider course
18approved by the Wisconsin department of transportation motorcycle safety program.
19The department may, by rule, exempt certain persons from the basic rider course
20requirement of this paragraph. Applicants for a license under s. 343.08 or 343.135
21are exempt from the driver education, basic rider or driver training course
22requirement. The secretary shall prescribe rules for licensing of schools and
23instructors to qualify under this paragraph. The driver education course shall be
24made available to every eligible student in the state. Except as provided under s.

1343.16 (1) (bm) and, (c) , and (cm) and (2) (cm) to (e), no operator's license may be
2issued unless a driver's examination has been administered by the department.
AB620,2 3Section 2. 343.16 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB620,4,154 343.16 (1) (a) General. Except as provided in par. (cm) and when examination
5by a 3rd-party tester is permitted under pars. (b) to (c), the department shall
6examine every applicant for an operator's license, including applicants for license
7renewal as provided in sub. (3), and every applicant for authorization to operate a
8vehicle class or type for which the applicant does not hold currently valid
9authorization, other than an instruction permit. Except as provided in par. (cm) and
10sub. (2) (cm) and (e), the examinations of applicants for licenses authorizing
11operation of “Class A", “Class B", “Class C", “ Class D" or “Class M" vehicles shall
12include both a knowledge test and an actual demonstration in the form of a driving
13skills test of the applicant's ability to exercise ordinary and reasonable control in the
14operation of a representative vehicle. The department shall not administer a driving
15skills test to a person applying for authorization to operate “Class M" vehicles who
16has failed 2 previous such skills tests unless the person has successfully completed
17a rider course approved by the department. The department may, by rule, exempt
18certain persons from the rider course requirement of this paragraph. The
19department may not require a person who is applying for authorization to operate
20“Class M" vehicles and who has successfully completed a rider course approved by
21the Wisconsin department of transportation motorcycle safety program to hold an
22instruction permit under s. 343.07 (4) prior to the department's issuance of a license
23authorizing the operation of “Class M" vehicles. The department may not require a
24person applying for authorization to operate “Class M" vehicles who holds an
25instruction permit under s. 343.07 (4) to hold it for a minimum period of time before

1administering a driving skills test. The driving skills of applicants for endorsements
2authorizing the operation of commercial motor vehicles equipped with air brakes, the
3transportation of passengers in commercial motor vehicles or the operation of school
4buses, as provided in s. 343.04 (2) (b), (bm), (d) or (e), shall also be tested by an actual
5demonstration of driving skills. The department may endorse an applicant's
6commercial driver license for transporting hazardous materials requiring
7placarding or any quantity of a material listed as a select agent or toxin under 42 CFR
873
, subject to s. 343.125, or for the operation of tank vehicles or vehicles towing
9double or triple trailers, as described in s. 343.04 (2) (a), (c) or (f), based on successful
10completion of a knowledge test. In administering the knowledge test, the
11department shall attempt to accommodate any special needs of the applicant. Except
12as may be required by the department for an “H" or “S" endorsement, the knowledge
13test is not intended to be a test for literacy or English language proficiency. This
14paragraph does not prohibit the department from requiring an applicant to correctly
15read and understand highway signs.
AB620,3 16Section 3. 343.16 (1) (cm) of the statutes is created to read:
AB620,4,1917 343.16 (1) (cm) Driving skills test waiver. The department may waive the
18driving skills test of an individual applying for an operator's license if all of the
19following apply:
AB620,4,2020 1. The applicant is under 18 years of age.
AB620,4,2121 2. The application is for authorization to operate only “Class D" vehicles.
AB620,5,522 3. The applicant has satisfactorily completed a course in driver education in a
23public school approved by the department of public instruction, or in a technical
24college approved by the technical college system board, or in a nonpublic and private
25school or tribal school, as defined in s. 115.001 (15m), that meets the minimum

1standards set by the department of public instruction, or has satisfactorily completed
2a substantially equivalent course in driver training approved by the department and
3given by a school licensed by the department under s. 343.61, or has satisfactorily
4completed a substantially equivalent course in driver education or training approved
5by another state.
AB620,5,76 4. The applicant has held an instruction permit issued under s. 343.07 for not
7less than 6 months.
AB620,5,108 5. The applicant has not committed a moving violation, specified by the
9department by rule, resulting in a conviction during the 6-month period
10immediately preceding application.
AB620,5,1211 6. An adult sponsor who has signed for the applicant under s. 343.15 (1)
12consents to a waiver of the driving skills test.
AB620,5,1313 (End)
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