State-Funded Driver's Education Could be Coming Back to Wisconsin

Tuesday, October 24th, 2023 -- 12:00 PM

(By Corrinne Hess, Wisconsin Public Radio) State-funded driver’s education could be coming back to Wisconsin for the first time in 20 years.  

According to Corrinne Hess with Wisconsin Public Radio, the state Assembly has already approved a bipartisan bill that would provide up to $400 in grants for low-income families to pay for drivers' education. The Senate will hold a public hearing on the proposal Tuesday.

Gov. Tony Evers, who has included state funded driver’s education in previous budget proposals, has signaled he will support the measure. State Rep. Bob Donovan, R-Milwaukee, who authored the bill, said up to 15,000 students who qualify for free or reduced lunch could be eligible for the driver's education grant.

It doesn’t matter if the young person goes to a public, private or charter school, as long as they are under 20 years old, Donovan said. "While this will not completely solve reckless driving, we have removed the financial barrier for those that may have otherwise not participated in driver’s education," Donovan said. "Our entire state benefits when our young adults are trained in the rules of the road."  

The state has already set aside $6 million to fund the program in the 2023-25 state budget. It would continue to be funded using fees Wisconsin insurance providers collect from users and send back to the state. The Wisconsin Insurance Alliance supports the idea.

Since state-funded driver’s education ended in 2004, many teens forgo learning to drive due to the cost, said Andy Franken, president of the Alliance during a September hearing. Private driver’s education programs cost between $350 to $650.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.