House clears the road for Chatham teens to take Maine Driver's Ed.

Common sense is prevailing in the New Hampshire House of Representatives, said Rep. Tom Buco, D-Conway, after his colleagues overwhelmingly cleared the road for Granite State residents to take driver's education in Maine and get a New Hampshire license, which has been difficult since 2004."It went great," Buco said by phone of the 292-27 vote. "Common sense really did prevail today. It's really exciting. I'm thrilled that the Town of Chatham can get back to what it has been doing for the last 100 years."Since 2004, Chatham teens have faced a roadblock in their efforts to obtain driver's licenses. Teenagers from Chatham, who attend Fryeburg Academy, and take driver's education at the Maine school, have trouble getting a New Hampshire driver's license because of a 2004 law that requires out of state driver's education to match up to New Hampshire's.A new law being proposed by Sen. Joe Kenney, R-Wakefield,and Buco, changes that. Senate Bill 429 states: "This bill eliminates the requirement that the commissioners of safety and education determine that a driver education course in another state is equivalent to a New Hampshire course in order for persons taking the course to be issued New Hampshire licenses."The bill made it out of House Transportation Committee, who killed a similar effort last year, by a 9-4 vote last week and went to the full House membership Wednesday. Earlier in the day, Rep. Buco said he "could see a possible floor fight brewing" on the bill. "There was some debate," he said later. "I think we've amended the bill enough that people are satisfied with it. The course still has to meet or exceed state standards and then ultimately the students still have to pass the test. I'm very pleased with how the day went. I'm trying to be responsive to the needs of the residents of Chatham.The bill will next head to the senate for a vote and, if all goes well, will move to Gov. John Lynch to be signed into law.Chatham Selectman Bill Perry traveled to Concord three times during the past month to testify, bringing with him a petition signed by more than 75 residents. The new bill was being met with resistance by some New Hampshire driver's education instructors, who could lose business if border town students take driver's ed in Maine."It's great news," Perry said by phone Wednesday afternoon. "Senator Kenney sponsored the bill but Tom Buco drove the bus on this deal. He rallied the people he needed to for his small town constituents and in this day and age that's awesome to see."Perry hopes the momentum of the bill will get the governor's signature and then become law in time for fall classes at Fryeburg Academy. "I need to get my ducks in a row and make sure the hours of instruction are in line with the Academy," he said. "I'm sure (SAU 9 Business Administrator) Jim Hill will be gathering that information."Buco said opposition to the bill "is concerned (N.H.) would be lowering our standards" by permitting other state's driver's ed. programs. "The bottom line is the student still has to pass the New Hampshire test," Buco said. "I would think that's the ultimate test to determine whether or not a student is qualified that's the barrier to me, you have to be able to pass the test."... I think it's a pretty big inconvenience for families in Chatham to have to come to Conway to take driver's ed. when the students have a program in house at Fryeburg Academy," he continued. "If they don't do that, the student can wait until they're 18 and go and take the test without ever taking driver's ed. what's more safe for everyone?"There is a driver education reciprocity law in the RSAs. "The provisions of RSA 263:19 shall not prevent the issuance of a driver's license to any individual who can produce satisfactory evidence of completion of an equivalent course of driver education, approved by the issuing state provided that the driver training curriculum is equal to or more stringent than New Hampshire's and that the number of hours of classroom, behind the wheel, and observation instruction provided to the student is equal to or greater than the state's minimum standard.""There is no question that there is a hardship to many of the Chatham citizens, plus a cost factor," Perry stated in a letter to the House Transportation Committee. "I am taking it from a pure logistics approach. I do not believe there is any safety issues whatsoever. Students taking the course at Fryeburg Academy for 60 plus years prior to June of 2004 (when the reciprocity law was passed) got their licenses in New Hampshire. The instructor provided a certificate of completion, plus the documentation of the extra hours of observation needed to meet New Hampshire requirements This is what this bill SB 429 states it makes sense."A Maine student can take the driver's ed. course in Fryeburg, Maine, then take their test in Maine and drive in New Hampshire as soon as their license is issued," he continued. "What is the difference if a New Hampshire student taking the same course in Maine with the extra hours of observation time documented and passed, then taking a New Hampshire driver's test. In fact I would think the latter would be safer as the student is taking a New Hampshire test to evaluate their knowledge."John Urgese, driver education instructor at Fryeburg Academy since 1986 has agreed to the stipulations of the RSA and even sent a letter to the N.H. House. "Until the past couple of years, I have had students from New Hampshire in my class," he wrote. "The New Hampshire students are enrolled students at Fryeburg Academy. Over the years, New Hampshire students have had different completion requirements than Maine students which include the number of hours of behind the wheel driving instruction and observation time. I would document their completion of the New Hampshire requirements and include a notarized school letter attesting to their fulfillment of this, which they would provide when going for their driving test in New Hampshire. Presently, Maine requires 30 hours of class instruction and 10 hours of driving, so a New Hampshire student would complete this in addition to the required six hours of observation."