Senate committee clears driver-license fix, AI protections, towing reforms and State Police auction oversight

The Senate Transportation, Technology & Legislative Affairs Committee approved four bills during a committee meeting, including a change to how 18-year-olds regain driving privileges after a crash, protections for business investments in generative artificial intelligence models, expanded State Police oversight of auto auctions and a compromise towing-and-recovery bill.

Why it matters: The measures affect access to work and school for young drivers, business protections for AI developers, how proceeds from auto auctions are used, and rules for towing companies and complaint procedures.

Senate Bill 397 Senator (unnamed), the committee chair, presented Senate Bill 397 and said the measure should “concur with the house amendment.” The committee adopted the house amendment and approved the bill by voice vote. The transcript records no named roll-call results.

House Bill 1913 — driver's-license adjustment for 18-year-olds State Senator Matt Stone (state senator, District 2) presented House Bill 1913, saying the bill “clears up a loophole” in current law that he described as leaving some young people unable to work or attend school after losing a driver’s license. Stone told the committee that under current practice a person who lost a license at 16 or 17 could get it back at 18, but if someone first lost a license at 18…