Legislation that would restore an eighth-grade reading requirement for Oklahoma minors seeking a driver permit has cleared its first legislative hurdle.
Oklahoma Representative Toni Hasenbeck’s House Bill 4153 would require students to demonstrate an eighth-grade reading level by passing the statewide reading assessment before being issued a learner permit. The measure passed the House Public Safety Committee.
“House Bill 4153 is about making sure our young people are equipped with the basic skills they need to succeed both in school and out on the road,” Hasenbeck said. “By tying reading proficiency to driver eligibility, we’re encouraging students to strengthen essential literacy skills that will help them throughout life while also promoting safer roads for all Oklahomans.”
Hasenbeck, a former middle school English teacher, said the prospect of earning a driver license at 16 often motivated students to take literacy seriously.
The reading requirement had been in place for decades but was eliminated in 2022. House Bill 4153 would reinstate the standard. Students with Individualized Education Programs related to reading could provide alternative documentation of proficiency under the proposal.
The bill must next pass the House Judiciary and Public Safety Oversight Committee before it can be considered on the House floor.
