82R24816 KYF-F
 
  By: Naishtat, McClendon H.B. No. 2897
 
  Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2897:
 
  By:  Rodriguez C.S.H.B. No. 2897
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to driving safety courses for individuals younger than 25
  years of age receiving deferred disposition for certain traffic
  offenses.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Effective January 1, 2012, Article 45.051(b-1),
  Code of Criminal Procedure, is amended to read as follows:
         (b-1)  If the defendant is younger than 25 years of age and
  the offense committed by the defendant is a traffic offense
  classified as a moving violation:
               (1)  Subsection (b)(8) does not apply;
               (2)  during the deferral period, the judge:
                     (A)  shall require the defendant to complete a
  driving safety course approved under Chapter 1001, Education Code;
  and
                     (B)  may require the defendant to complete an
  additional driving safety course designed for drivers younger than
  25 years of age and approved under Section 1001.111, Education
  Code; and
               (3)  if the defendant holds a provisional license,
  during the deferral period the judge shall require that the
  defendant be examined by the Department of Public Safety as
  required by Section 521.161(b)(2), Transportation Code; a
  defendant is not exempt from the examination regardless of whether
  the defendant was examined previously.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter C, Chapter 1001, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 1001.111 to read as follows:
         Sec. 1001.111.  DRIVING SAFETY COURSE FOR DRIVER YOUNGER
  THAN 25 YEARS OF AGE. (a) The commissioner by rule shall provide
  minimum standards of curriculum for and designate the educational
  materials to be used in a driving safety course designed for drivers
  younger than 25 years of age.
         (b)  A driving safety course designed for drivers younger
  than 25 years of age must:
               (1)  be a four-hour live, interactive course focusing
  on issues specific to drivers younger than 25 years of age;
               (2)  include instruction in:
                     (A)  alcohol and drug awareness;
                     (B)  the traffic laws of this state;
                     (C)  the high rate of motor vehicle accidents and
  fatalities for drivers younger than 25 years of age;
                     (D)  the issues commonly associated with motor
  vehicle accidents involving drivers younger than 25 years of age,
  including poor decision-making, risk taking, impaired driving,
  distraction, speed, failure to use a safety belt, driving at night,
  failure to yield the right-of-way, and using a wireless
  communication device while operating a vehicle, and the role of
  peer pressure in those issues;
                     (E)  the effect of poor driver decision-making on
  the family, friends, school, and community of a driver younger than
  25 years of age; and
                     (F)  the importance of taking control of
  potentially dangerous driving situations both as a driver and as a
  passenger; and
               (3)  require a written commitment by the student to
  family and friends that the student will not engage in dangerous
  driving habits.
         (c)  A course approved for use under this section before
  January 1, 2012, must comply with the requirements of Subsection
  (b) and be approved for that purpose by the commissioner not later
  than January 1, 2012.  This subsection expires September 1, 2012.
         SECTION 3.  (a)  The Texas Education Agency shall adopt the
  rules required by Section 1001.111, Education Code, as added by
  this Act, as soon as practicable after the effective date of this
  Act.
         (b)  The change in law made by this Act to Article 45.051,
  Code of Criminal Procedure, applies only to an offense committed on
  or after January 1, 2012.  An offense committed before January 1,
  2012, is governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was
  committed, and the former law is continued in effect for that
  purpose.  For purposes of this subsection, an offense was committed
  before that date if any element of the offense occurred before that
  date.
         SECTION 4.  Except as otherwise provided by this Act, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2011.