Bill Text: TX HB3483 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to requirements for a driver education course, the eligibility of persons under 18 years of age to operate a motor vehicle, and the administration of certain driver's license examinations by home-taught driver education course providers.
Sponsorship: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2013-06-14 - Effective on 9/1/13 [HB3483 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-HB3483-Enrolled.html
| H.B. No. 3483 | ||
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| relating to requirements for a driver education course, the | ||
| eligibility of persons under 18 years of age to operate a motor | ||
| vehicle, and the administration of certain driver's license | ||
| examinations by home-taught driver education course providers. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Section 1001.101, Education Code, as amended by | ||
| Chapters 1253 (H.B. 339) and 1413 (S.B. 1317), Acts of the 81st | ||
| Legislature, Regular Session, 2009, is reenacted and amended to | ||
| read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 1001.101. ADULT AND MINOR DRIVER EDUCATION COURSE | ||
| CURRICULUM AND TEXTBOOKS. (a) The commissioner by rule shall | ||
| establish or approve the curriculum and designate the textbooks to | ||
| be used in a driver education course for minors and adults, | ||
| including a driver education course conducted by a school district, | ||
| driver education school, or parent or other individual under | ||
| Section 521.205, Transportation Code. | ||
| (b) A driver education course must require the student to | ||
| complete: | ||
| (1) 7 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction in the | ||
| presence of a person who holds a driver education instructor | ||
| license or who meets the requirements imposed under Section | ||
| 521.205, Transportation Code; | ||
| (2) 7 hours of observation instruction in the presence | ||
| of a person who holds a driver education instructor license or who | ||
| meets the requirements imposed under Section 521.205, | ||
| Transportation Code; and | ||
| (3) 30 [ |
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| including at least 10 hours of instruction that takes place at | ||
| night, in the presence of an adult who meets the requirements of | ||
| Section 521.222(d)(2), Transportation Code. | ||
| SECTION 2. The heading to Section 521.1655, Transportation | ||
| Code, is amended to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 521.1655. TESTING BY DRIVER EDUCATION SCHOOL AND | ||
| CERTAIN DRIVER EDUCATION COURSE PROVIDERS. | ||
| SECTION 3. Section 521.1655, Transportation Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows: | ||
| (a-1) A driver education course provider approved under | ||
| Section 521.205 may administer to a student of that course the | ||
| highway sign and traffic law parts of the examination required by | ||
| Section 521.161. | ||
| SECTION 4. Section 521.205(c), Transportation Code, is | ||
| amended to read as follows: | ||
| (c) The rules must provide a method by which: | ||
| (1) approval of a course is obtained; | ||
| (2) an applicant submits proof of completion of the | ||
| course; [ |
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| (3) approval for delivering course materials by an | ||
| alternative method, including electronic means, is obtained; | ||
| (4) a provider of a course approved under this section | ||
| may administer to an applicant the highway sign and traffic law | ||
| parts of the examination as provided by Section 521.1655(a-1) | ||
| through electronic means; and | ||
| (5) an applicant submits proof of passage of an | ||
| examination administered under Subdivision (4). | ||
| SECTION 5. Section 545.424(a-1), Transportation Code, is | ||
| amended to read as follows: | ||
| (a-1) A person under 18 years of age may not operate a motor | ||
| vehicle [ |
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| (1) after midnight and before 5 a.m. unless the | ||
| operation of the vehicle is necessary for the operator to attend or | ||
| participate in employment or a school-related activity or because | ||
| of a medical emergency; or | ||
| (2) with more than one passenger in the vehicle under | ||
| 21 years of age who is not a family member. | ||
| SECTION 6. The change in law made by Section 1001.101(b), | ||
| Education Code, as amended by this Act, applies only to a driver | ||
| education course that begins on or after the effective date of this | ||
| Act. A course that begins before the effective date of this Act is | ||
| governed by the law in effect on the date the course began, and that | ||
| law is continued in effect for that purpose. | ||
| SECTION 7. The D | ||
| epartment of Public Safety shall adopt the | ||
| rules required by Section 521.205, Transportation Code, as amended | ||
| by this Act, not later than January 1, 2014. | ||
| SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. | ||
| ______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
| President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
| I certify that H.B. No. 3483 was passed by the House on May 2, | ||
| 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 145, Nays 2, 2 present, not | ||
| voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B. | ||
| No. 3483 on May 23, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 137, Nays 8, | ||
| 2 present, not voting. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
| I certify that H.B. No. 3483 was passed by the Senate, with | ||
| amendments, on May 20, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 28, Nays | ||
| 3. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Secretary of the Senate | ||
| APPROVED: __________________ | ||
| Date | ||
| __________________ | ||
| Governor | ||
