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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the accommodation of a deaf or hard of hearing student |
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in driver education; authorizing a fee. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 1001, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 1001.059 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 1001.059. DEPARTMENT DRIVER EDUCATION COURSE FOR DEAF |
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OR HARD OF HEARING STUDENTS. (a) The department shall: |
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(1) create, in cooperation with another state agency |
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if necessary, a driver education course for minors and adults that |
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presents the course curriculum in American Sign Language; and |
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(2) make the course described by Subdivision (1) |
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available on the department's Internet website. |
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(b) The commission by rule shall establish a fee for the |
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course. The fee established under this section: |
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(1) is in addition to a fee charged for a certificate |
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for the course; and |
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(2) must be in an amount that is: |
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(A) sufficient to cover the cost of creating and |
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administering the course; and |
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(B) not more than the average cost of an online |
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driver education course provided in this state, as determined by |
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the commission. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 1001, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 1001.1016 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 1001.1016. ACCOMMODATION FOR DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING |
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STUDENTS. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Deaf" means a hearing loss of such severity that |
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an individual must depend on visual methods to communicate. |
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(2) "Hard of hearing" means a loss of hearing function |
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to an individual such that the individual: |
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(A) relies on residual hearing; and |
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(B) may depend on visual methods to communicate. |
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(b) The commission by rule shall require a driver education |
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school providing a driver education course to: |
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(1) in the manner described by the Americans with |
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Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Section 12101 et seq.), make |
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reasonable modifications and provide aids and services that are |
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necessary to ensure that a student who is deaf or hard of hearing |
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may fully participate in the course; and |
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(2) provide to the department the school's plan for |
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complying with the rules adopted under this section as a condition |
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of obtaining a license under Section 1001.211 or renewing a license |
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under Section 1001.303. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |