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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the requirements for home-taught driver education |
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courses. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 521.205, Transportation Code, is amended |
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by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (e), (f), and (g) |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) The department by rule shall provide for approval of a |
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driver education course conducted by the parent, stepparent, legal |
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guardian, step-grandparent, or grandparent of a person who is |
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required to complete a driver education course to obtain a Class C |
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license. The rules must provide that: |
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(1) the person conducting the course possess a valid |
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license for the preceding three years that [and the license] has not |
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been suspended, revoked, or forfeited in the past three years for an |
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offense that involves the operation of a motor vehicle [traffic
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related violations]; |
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(2) the student driver spend a specified minimum |
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number of hours in: |
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(A) classroom instruction; and |
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(B) behind-the-wheel instruction; |
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(3) the person conducting the course not have been |
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[be] convicted of: |
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(A) criminally negligent homicide; or |
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(B) driving while intoxicated; [and] |
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(4) the person conducting the course not be disabled |
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because of mental illness; |
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(5) the course curriculum include a comprehensive |
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examination of the course curriculum that must be successfully |
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completed by the student driver in accordance with department |
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rules; and |
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(6) during the 24 months preceding the date the course |
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begins, the person conducting the course complete and submit a |
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department-approved certificate of completion for not less than six |
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hours of instruction that: |
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(A) is designed and approved by the department to |
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prepare the person to conduct the course effectively; and |
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(B) includes instruction in the knowledge, |
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skills, techniques, and methodology to be applied to the classroom |
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instruction and behind-the-wheel phases of the course. |
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(e) A student driver who takes a driver education course |
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approved under this section may not be exempted from the driving |
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test required by Section 521.161(b)(2). |
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(f) The department may impose a fee for the approval of a |
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driver education course offered under this section or for the |
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approval of the instruction required under Subsection (a)(6). |
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(g) The department may not approve a driving safety course |
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approved under Chapter 1001, Education Code, to meet the |
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requirements of Subsection (a)(6). |
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SECTION 2. Section 1001.251(a), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) A person may not teach or provide driver education, |
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either as an individual or in a driver education school, or conduct |
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any phase of driver education, unless the person holds a driver |
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education instructor license issued by the agency. This subsection |
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does not apply to a person conducting a course under Section |
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521.205, Transportation Code. |
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SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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a driver education course approved by the Department of Public |
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Safety of the State of Texas on or after the effective date of this |
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Act. A driver education course approved by the department before |
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the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect |
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immediately before the effective date of this Act, and the former |
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law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |