Bill Text: TX SB1051 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Enrolled

---

Bill Title: Relating to the accommodation of a deaf or hard of hearing student in driver education; authorizing a fee.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2)

Status: (Passed) 2017-06-01 - Effective on 9/1/17 [SB1051 Detail]

Download: Texas-2017-SB1051-Enrolled.html

---

S.B. No. 1051

AN ACT
relating to the accommodation of a deaf or hard of hearing student
in driver education; authorizing a fee.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 1001, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 1001.059 to read as follows:
Sec. 1001.059. DEPARTMENT DRIVER EDUCATION COURSE FOR DEAF
OR HARD OF HEARING STUDENTS. (a) The department shall:
(1) create a driver education course for minors and
adults that presents the course curriculum in American Sign
Language; and
(2) make the course described by Subdivision (1)
available on the department's Internet website.
(b) The department may collaborate with another state
agency or contract with a licensed driver education school or
instructor to create the course.
(c) The commission by rule shall establish a fee for the
course. The fee established under this section:
(1) is in addition to a fee charged for a certificate
for the course; and
(2) must be in an amount that is:
(A) not more than an amount necessary to cover
the cost of creating and administering the course; and
(B) not more than the average cost of an online
driver education course provided in this state, as determined by
the commission.
SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 1001, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 1001.1016 to read as follows:
Sec. 1001.1016. ACCOMMODATION FOR DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING
STUDENTS. (a) In this section:
(1) "Deaf" means a hearing loss of such severity that
an individual must depend on visual methods to communicate.
(2) "Hard of hearing" means a loss of hearing function
to an individual such that the individual:
(A) relies on residual hearing; and
(B) may depend on visual methods to communicate.
(b) The commission by rule shall require a driver education
school providing a driver education course to:
(1) in the manner described by the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Section 12101 et seq.), make
reasonable modifications and provide aids and services when
providing the classroom portion of the course that are necessary to
ensure that a student who is deaf or hard of hearing may fully
participate in the course; and
(2) provide to the department the school's plan for
complying with the rules adopted under this section as a condition
of obtaining a license under Section 1001.211 or renewing a license
under Section 1001.303.
(c) The rules adopted under Subsection (b) must allow a
driver education school to comply with the requirements of this
section by playing a video that presents the classroom portion of
the driver education course in a manner that complies with the
requirements of this section.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1051 passed the Senate on
April 5, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 28, Nays 2; and that
the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 25, 2017, by the
following vote: Yeas 29, Nays 2.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1051 passed the House, with
amendment, on May 19, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 143,
Nays 0, one present not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
______________________________
Date
______________________________
Governor