BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 3337

By: Bonnen, Dennis

Homeland Security & Public Safety

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties contend that the law relating to parent-taught driver education courses does not adequately account for situations in which one parent or both parents of a student driver have a disability. C.S.H.B. 3337 seeks to address this issue by authorizing a parent with a disability to designate a person 25 years of age or older to conduct a parent-taught driver education course.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 3337 amends the Education Code to authorize the parent of a person who is required to complete a driver education course to obtain a Class C driver's license to designate a person 25 years of age or older to conduct a parent-taught driver education course if the parent has a disability, which the bill defines as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.

C.S.H.B. 3337 amends Section 1001.112(a), Education Code, the substance of which was transferred from Section 521.205(a), Transportation Code, by Chapter 1044 (H.B. 1786), Acts of the 84th Legislature, Regular Session, 2015, to conform to Chapter 567 (H.B. 2708), Acts of the 84th Legislature, Regular Session, 2015, by removing the requirement for Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation rules providing for the approval of a parent-taught driver education course to provide that the person conducting the course is not disabled because of mental illness.

C.S.H.B. 3337 repeals Section 521.1655(a-1), Transportation Code, authorizing a parent-taught driver education course provider to administer to a student of that course the highway sign and traffic law parts of the examination required for driver's license applicants.

C.S.H.B. 3337 repeals Section 521.205(a), Transportation Code, as amended by Chapter 567 (H.B. 2708), Acts of the 84th Legislature, Regular Session, 2015, requiring the Department of Public Safety by rule to provide for approval of a parent-taught driver education course to conform to the repeal of Section 521.205, Transportation Code, by Chapter 1044 (H.B. 1786), Acts of the 84th Legislature, Regular Session, 2015.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 3337 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and formatted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

INTRODUCED	HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
SECTION 1.  Section 1001.112(a), Education Code, the substance of which was transferred from Section 521.205(a), Transportation Code, by Chapter 1044 (H.B. 1786), Acts of the 84th Legislature, Regular Session, 2015, is amended.	SECTION 1. Same as introduced version.
SECTION 2.  Section 1001.112, Education Code, is amended by adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows: (a-1)  The parent of a person who is required to complete a driver education course to obtain a Class C license may designate a person 18 years of age or older to conduct a driver education course under Subsection (a) if the parent has a disability.	SECTION 2.  Section 1001.112, Education Code, is amended by adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows: (a-1)  The parent of a person who is required to complete a driver education course to obtain a Class C license may designate a person 25 years of age or older to conduct a driver education course under Subsection (a) if the parent has a disability.  In this subsection, "disability" means, with respect to an individual, a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.
SECTION 3.  (a) Section 521.1655(a-1), Transportation Code, is repealed. (b)  Section 521.205(a), Transportation Code, as amended by Chapter 567 (H.B. 2708), Acts of the 84th Legislature, Regular Session, 2015, is repealed to conform to the repeal of Section 521.205, Transportation Code, by Chapter 1044 (H.B. 1786), Acts of the 84th Legislature, Regular Session, 2015.	SECTION 3. Same as introduced version.
SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.	SECTION 4. Same as introduced version.