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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to academic requirements for issuance of an instruction |
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permit by the Department of Public Safety or a driver education |
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school. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 521.222(a), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The department or a driver education school licensed |
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under Chapter 1001, Education Code, [the Texas Driver and Traffic
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Safety Education Act (Article 4413(29c), Vernon's Texas Civil
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Statutes)] may issue an instruction permit, including a Class A or |
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Class B driver's license instruction permit, to a person who: |
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(1) is 15 years of age or older but under 18 years of |
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age; |
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(2) has satisfactorily completed and passed the |
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classroom phase of an approved driver education course, which may |
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be a course approved under Section 521.205; |
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(3) meets the requirements imposed under Section |
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521.204(3); [and] |
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(4) has passed each examination required under Section |
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521.161 other than the driving test; and |
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(5) meets the requirements established by the |
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department and the Texas Education Agency under Section 521.2221, |
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if applicable. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter K, Chapter 521, Transportation Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 521.2221 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 521.2221. ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS FOR INSTRUCTION |
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PERMIT. The department and the Texas Education Agency jointly |
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shall adopt rules to ensure that an applicant for an instruction |
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permit who is enrolled at a public school, home school, or private |
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school is in good academic standing. The rules must require: |
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(1) an applicant who is enrolled at a public school to |
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demonstrate that the applicant: |
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(A) did not receive a grade lower than the |
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equivalent of a 70 on a scale of 100 in any state-mandated class for |
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the most recent grade evaluation period, as that term is defined by |
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Section 33.081(c), Education Code; and |
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(B) has performed satisfactorily on all |
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assessment instruments required of the person under Subchapter B, |
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Chapter 39, Education Code; and |
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(2) an applicant who is enrolled at a home school or |
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private school to demonstrate that the applicant meets academic |
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standards equivalent to those required for public school students |
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under Subdivision (1). |
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SECTION 3. (a) The Department of Public Safety and the |
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Texas Education Agency shall adopt the rules required by Section |
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521.2221, Transportation Code, as added by this Act, not later than |
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January 1, 2012. |
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(b) The change in law made to Section 521.222(a), |
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Transportation Code, as amended by this Act, applies only to an |
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instruction permit issued on or after the effective date of the |
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rules adopted under Subsection (a) of this section. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |