1-1 By: Junell (Senate Sponsor - Bivins) H.B. No. 1409 1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 5, 1999; 1-3 May 6, 1999, read first time and referred to Committee on 1-4 Education; May 11, 1999, reported favorably by the following vote: 1-5 Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 11, 1999, sent to printer.) 1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-7 AN ACT 1-8 relating to eligibility to conduct a mental and physical 1-9 examination of a school bus operator. 1-10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-11 SECTION 1. Section 521.022(c), Transportation Code, is 1-12 amended to read as follows: 1-13 (c) A person may not operate a school bus for the 1-14 transportation of students unless the person meets the mental and 1-15 physical capability requirements the department establishes by rule 1-16 and has passed an examination approved by the department to 1-17 determine the person's mental and physical capabilities to operate 1-18 a school bus safely. A physician, advanced practice nurse, or 1-19 physician assistant may conduct the examination. An 1-20 ophthalmologist, optometrist, or therapeutic optometrist may 1-21 conduct the part of the examination relating to the person's 1-22 vision. Each school bus operator must pass the examination 1-23 annually. 1-24 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 1-25 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-26 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-27 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-28 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 1-29 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 1-30 passage, and it is so enacted. 1-31 * * * * *