1-1     By:  Bivins, West, Ogden                               S.B. No. 577
 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed February 7, 2001; February 8, 2001,
 1-3     read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal Justice;
 1-4     March 6, 2001, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
 1-5     Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 6, Nays 1; March 6, 2001,
 1-6     sent to printer.)
 1-7     COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 577                   By:  Bivins
 1-8                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-9                                   AN ACT
1-10     relating to driving privileges of drivers under 18 years of age.
1-11           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-12           SECTION 1.  Subsection (d), Section 521.222, Transportation
1-13     Code, is amended to read as follows:
1-14           (d)  An instruction permit entitles the holder to operate a
1-15     type of motor vehicle on a highway while:
1-16                 (1)  the permit is in the holder's possession; and
1-17                 (2)  the holder is accompanied by a person occupying
1-18     the seat by the operator who:
1-19                       (A)  holds a license that qualifies the operator
1-20     to operate that type of vehicle;
1-21                       (B)  is 21 [18] years of age or older; [and]
1-22                       (C)  has at least one year of driving experience;
1-23     and
1-24                       (D)  is the only person occupying the seat by the
1-25     operator.
1-26           SECTION 2.  Subchapter I, Chapter 545, Transportation Code,
1-27     is amended by adding Section 545.424 to read as follows:
1-28           Sec. 545.424.  OPERATION OF VEHICLE BY PERSON UNDER 18 YEARS
1-29     OF AGE.  (a)  A person under 18 years of age may not operate a
1-30     motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle or moped, unless the person
1-31     and each passenger in the motor vehicle is secured by a safety belt
1-32     or child passenger safety seat system.
1-33           (b)  A person under 18 years of age, during the six-month
1-34     period following issuance of an original Class A, B, or C driver's
1-35     license to the person, may not operate a motor vehicle after 11
1-36     p.m. and before 5 a.m. unless the person is accompanied in the same
1-37     manner required by Section 521.222(d)(2) for operation of a motor
1-38     vehicle by the holder of an instruction permit.
1-39           (c)  A person under 17 years of age who holds a restricted
1-40     motorcycle license or a moped license may not operate a motorcycle
1-41     or moped:
1-42                 (1)  after 11 p.m. and before 5 a.m. unless the person
1-43     is in sight of the person's parent or guardian; or
1-44                 (2)  with a passenger.
1-45           (d)  A restriction under Subsection (b) or (c)(1) does not
1-46     apply if the operation of the vehicle is necessary:
1-47                 (1)  for the person operating the vehicle to travel
1-48     between the person's home and the person's place of employment; or
1-49                 (2)  because of a medical emergency.
1-50           SECTION 3.  This Act does not affect the validity or effect
1-51     of a driver's license, including an instruction permit, issued
1-52     before the effective date of this Act.  The license is governed by
1-53     the law in effect when the license was issued, and that law is
1-54     continued in effect for that purpose.
1-55           SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect January 1, 2002.
1-56                                  * * * * *