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.
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