By Wise                                                H.B. No. 284
         76R2255 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, 1999.
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.