Ohio bill would allow verified app tracking to replace part of teen supervised driving hours, lower permit age to 15

House Bill 463, a proposal to modernize Ohio’s driver education rules, received sponsor testimony and extensive committee questions during a first hearing Tuesday before the Ohio House Transportation Committee.

Representative Klopfenstein, sponsor of the bill, told the committee the measure would add an option to the current affidavit system by permitting a state‑approved smartphone or in‑car system to verify practice hours. “This legislation seeks to modernize driver education in Ohio by incorporating emerging technologies that track and verify practice hours through smartphones or in car systems,” Klopfenstein said. He said such tools “provide real time feedback to student drivers and offer a more accessible and affordable path to safe driving.”

The bill preserves existing paths for driver education while adding an electronic verification option. Under current law, students submit an affidavit attesting to 50 hours of supervised driving with a parent or guardian. HB463 would allow students to complete 40 verified hours using a…