Evers signs bill to help low-income students get driver's ed, reduce reckless driving
MADISON — Democratic Gov. Tony Evers signed a bipartisan bill Wednesday that creates a grant program to help low-income students pay for drivers education, a measure aimed at reducing reckless driving in the state.
The $6 million in grants will be available to students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch and schools and technical colleges that provide the courses. It's the first time the state has provided funding for driver's education since 2004.
The bill, led by Republican Rep. Bob Donovan of Greenfield, picked up strong bipartisan support in the Legislature, with only two senators voting against it in November.
"Unfortunately, many young people have forgone driver education altogether as the costs continue to balloon," Donovan said in a statement following the bill's signing. "Young drivers may still drive despite lacking the important instruction that comes with driver education."
The bill was supported by the insurance industry, the City of Milwaukee, the Wisconsin Education Association and others. No groups registered to lobby against the proposal.
Milwaukee residents, police and city officials have called reckless driving one of the city's most pressing public-safety and quality-of-life issues.
In 2022, Milwaukee County had 111 traffic deaths, topping a record of 101 in 2020, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Milwaukee has had 69 traffic deaths so far in 2023.
"Ensuring young drivers have access to the resources and education they need to gain experience and learn to drive safely is critically important for the safety of our roads and the well-being of communities across our state," Evers said in a press release.
More: Sunday declared day of remembrance for victims of 'traffic violence' in Milwaukee
Evers noted that the Republican-led Legislature removed other policy ideas aimed at reckless driving that he pitched in his budget proposal.
Those included $60 million for infrastructure that slows traffic, allowing people to get licenses regardless of their immigration status and increasing the seatbelt violation penalty from $10 to $25.
Donovan is also the lead author on a bill that would increase penalties for fleeing an officer, though the measure is only sponsored by Republicans and hasn't yet received a hearing.
Other laws enacted by Evers this year increased penalties for reckless driving and created a "carjacking" section of the criminal code.
Another allows local governments to create ordinances that allow law enforcement to impound a vehicle if the owner is cited and has a prior conviction for reckless driving, and hasn't paid the fine for the offense.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Tony Evers signs driver's education bill aimed at reckless driving
