By:  Bivins, West                                      S.B. No. 577
           Ogden
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to driving privileges of drivers under 18 years of age.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Subsection (d), Section 521.222, Transportation
 1-5     Code, is amended to read as follows:
 1-6           (d)  An instruction permit entitles the holder to operate a
 1-7     type of motor vehicle on a highway while:
 1-8                 (1)  the permit is in the holder's possession; and
 1-9                 (2)  the holder is accompanied by a person occupying
1-10     the seat by the operator who:
1-11                       (A)  holds a license that qualifies the operator
1-12     to operate that type of vehicle;
1-13                       (B)  is 21 [18] years of age or older; [and]
1-14                       (C)  has at least one year of driving experience;
1-15     and
1-16                       (D)  is the only person occupying the seat by the
1-17     operator.
1-18           SECTION 2.  Subchapter I, Chapter 545, Transportation Code,
1-19     is amended by adding Section 545.424 to read as follows:
1-20           Sec. 545.424.  OPERATION OF VEHICLE BY PERSON UNDER 18 YEARS
1-21     OF AGE.  (a)  A person under 18 years of age may not operate a
1-22     motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle or moped, unless the person
1-23     and each passenger in the motor vehicle is secured by a safety belt
1-24     or child passenger safety seat system.
1-25           (b)  A person under 18 years of age, during the six-month
 2-1     period following issuance of an original Class A, B, or C driver's
 2-2     license to the person, may not operate a motor vehicle after 11
 2-3     p.m. and before 5 a.m. unless the person is accompanied in the same
 2-4     manner required by Section 521.222(d)(2) for operation of a motor
 2-5     vehicle by the holder of an instruction permit.
 2-6           (c)  A person under 17 years of age who holds a restricted
 2-7     motorcycle license or a moped license may not operate a motorcycle
 2-8     or moped:
 2-9                 (1)  after midnight and before 5 a.m. unless the person
2-10     is in sight of the person's parent or guardian; or
2-11                 (2)  with a passenger.
2-12           (d)  A restriction under Subsection (b) or (c)(1) does not
2-13     apply if the operation of the vehicle is necessary:
2-14                 (1)  for the person operating the vehicle to:
2-15                       (A)  travel between the person's home and the
2-16     person's place of employment; or
2-17                       (B)  attend school or a school-related
2-18     extracurricular activity; or
2-19                 (2)  because of a medical emergency.
2-20           SECTION 3.  This Act does not affect the validity or effect
2-21     of a driver's license, including an instruction permit, issued
2-22     before the effective date of this Act.  The license is governed by
2-23     the law in effect when the license was issued, and that law is
2-24     continued in effect for that purpose.
2-25           SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect January 1, 2002.