BATON ROUGE - Hoping to lower tension between police officers and motorists, Louisiana lawmakers may soon require new drivers to be trained on how to respond in a traffic stop.

A bill by Sen. Ryan Gatti, a Bossier City Republican, would add "appropriate driver conduct when stopped by a law enforcement officer" to the list of content requirements in driver education courses - and on the driving test required to get a license.

Gatti said the training concept was recommended to him by former NFL player Demetric Evans, a Louisiana native who testified in favor of the bill.

The Senate Transportation Committee approved the measure without objection Thursday, sending it to the full Senate for debate. The House is advancing a similar proposal of its own.