GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1991

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 969

Short Title:  No Pass-No Drive.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Representatives Gardner; Bowman, Justus, and Russell.
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Referred to:  Education.
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April 19, 1991

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO REQUIRE HIGH SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN TO PASS IN HIGH SCHOOL TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR DRIVERS LICENSES.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  G.S. 20-9 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"( i)	The Division shall not issue a license to a person who is under 18 years of age and who:
(1)	Is enrolled in a public or private school but is not maintaining passing grades in enough subjects to attain normal graduation; or
(2)	Is not enrolled in a public or private school and
a.	Is not a high school graduate,
b.	Is not enrolled full time in a vocational course of study at an institution within the community college system, or
c.	Has not successfully completed a vocational course of study at an institution within the community college system.
The superintendent of each local school administrative unit with alternative schools, as defined by the State Board of Education, shall notify the Division, as provided in G.S. 115C-276(q), of any student between the ages of 15 and 18 who drops out of school or is not maintaining passing grades in enough subjects to attain normal graduation."
Sec. 2.  G.S. 20-16(a) is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:
"(12)	Is under 18 years of age and who:
a.	Is enrolled in a public or private school but is not maintaining passing grades in enough subjects to attain normal graduation; or
b.	Is not enrolled in a public or private school and
1.	Is not a high school graduate,
2.	Is not enrolled full time in a vocational course of study at an institution within the community college system, or
3.	Has not successfully completed a vocational course of study at an institution within the community college system.
The superintendent of each local school administrative unit with alternative schools, as defined by the State Board of Education, shall notify the Division, as provided in G.S. 115C-276(q), of any student between the ages of 15 and 18 who drops out of school or is not maintaining passing grades in enough subjects to attain normal graduation."
Sec. 3.  G.S. 115C-276 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"( q)	To Notify the Division of Motor Vehicles of Students Who Are Ineligible for Drivers Licenses. -  The superintendent of each local school administrative unit with alternative schools, as defined by the State Board of Education,  shall notify the Division of Motor Vehicles immediately of all students between the ages of 15 and 18 who drop out of school.  The superintendent shall notify the Division at the end of each semester of all students between the ages of 15 and 18 who are not maintaining passing grades in enough subjects to attain normal graduation.  For purposes of this subsection, a student shall be deemed to have dropped out of school when he has nine or more unexcused absences in the preceding semester.  Any absences due to suspension shall be unexcused absences.  For purposes of this subsection, a student shall be deemed to be academically deficient and not maintaining passing grades in enough subjects to attain normal graduation when he has not received passing grades in at least four courses in the preceding semester.  The local school board shall adopt a policy to reflect a similar standard for academic deficiency for students in alternative, special education, or part-time programs."
Sec. 4.  Sections 1 and 2 of this act become effective July 1, 1991.  Sections 3 and 4 of this act are effective upon ratification.