Bill to ease student driving, graduation rules heads to Cooper

Senate Bill 654 originally focused more on directing how schools can spend federal relief funds and restricting schools' use of remote instruction.

House Education committee Chairman John Torbett, R-Gaston, said that, during the conference committee process with the Senate, the spending provisions were moved into the budget bill, while new proposed restrictions on remote learning in the 2021-22 school year were rolled back in light of the current pandemic situation.

Seniors in the 2020-21 school year whose diplomas have been in limbo due to CPR requirements will have that requirement waived under the bill, as long as they met all other graduation requirements.

Torbett said the final version of the bill would temporarily waive the requirement that students must be making progress toward graduation to qualify for driving privileges.

"We also restored certain driving permits and provisional licenses revoked due to certificate ineligibility," Torbett said, adding that it won't show up on their driving records, either.

"We're putting it on them, but they have to review it at least once every month," Torbett said, "so it's not long-standing."

The House passed the measure 102-1 Wednesday morning. It passed the Senate unanimously that afternoon, and now goes to Democratic Governor Roy Cooper for his signature.