By Wilson                                              H.B. No. 206
         76R1161 DWS-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to a school attendance requirement for a driver's license
 1-3     applicant under 18 years of age.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 521.204, Transportation Code, is amended
 1-6     to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 521.204. RESTRICTIONS ON MINOR.  The department may
 1-8     issue a Class C driver's license to an applicant under 18 years of
 1-9     age only if the applicant:
1-10                 (1)  is 16 years of age or older;
1-11                 (2)  has submitted to the department a driver education
1-12     certificate issued under Section 9A, Texas Driver and Traffic
1-13     Safety Education Act (Article 4413(29c), Vernon's Texas Civil
1-14     Statutes), that states that the person has completed and passed a
1-15     driver education course approved by the department under Section
1-16     521.205 or by the Texas Education Agency; and
1-17                 (3)  [has obtained a high school diploma or its
1-18     equivalent or is a student:]
1-19                       [(A)  enrolled in a public school, home school,
1-20     or private school who attended school for at least 80 days in the
1-21     fall or spring semester preceding the date of the driver's license
1-22     application; or]
1-23                       [(B)  who has been enrolled for at least 45 days,
1-24     and is enrolled as of the date of the application, in a program to
 2-1     prepare persons to pass the high school equivalency exam; and]
 2-2                 [(4)]  has passed the examination required by Section
 2-3     521.161.
 2-4           SECTION 2.  Section 521.222(a), Transportation Code, is
 2-5     amended to read as follows:
 2-6           (a)  The department or a driver education school licensed
 2-7     under the Texas Driver and Traffic Safety Education Act (Article
 2-8     4413(29c), Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes) may issue an instruction
 2-9     permit, including a Class A or Class B driver's license instruction
2-10     permit, to a person who:
2-11                 (1)  is 15 years of age or older but under 18 years of
2-12     age;
2-13                 (2)  has satisfactorily completed and passed the
2-14     classroom phase of an approved driver education course, which may
2-15     be a course approved under Section 521.205; and
2-16                 (3)  [meets the requirements imposed under Section
2-17     521.204(3); and]
2-18                 [(4)]  has passed each examination required under
2-19     Section 521.161 other than the driving test.
2-20           SECTION 3.  Section 521.003, Transportation Code, is
2-21     repealed.
2-22           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-23     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-24     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-25     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-26     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-27     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
 3-1     passage, and it is so enacted.