By Wise                                          H.B. No. 442

      75R2779 DRH-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to alternate methods of taking an examination for a

 1-3     driver's license.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 521.161, Transportation Code, is amended

 1-6     by adding Subsection (f) to read as follows:

 1-7           (f)  The department shall give each applicant the option of

 1-8     taking the traffic law and highway sign part of the examination

 1-9     through the use of oral responses in addition to or instead of

1-10     through a mechanical, electronic, or other testing method.  If the

1-11     applicant takes that part of the examination through oral responses

1-12     in addition to another testing method, the applicant is considered

1-13     to have passed that part of the examination if the applicant passes

1-14     any version of the examination.  The department shall inform each

1-15     person taking the examination of the person's rights under this

1-16     subsection.

1-17           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-18           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-19     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-20     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-21     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-22     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.