| 1 | 1 | | S.B. No. 858 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | AN ACT |
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| 5 | 5 | | relating to offering the classroom portion of a driver education |
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| 6 | 6 | | course through an alternative method of instruction. |
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| 7 | 7 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 8 | 8 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter H, Chapter 1001, Education Code, is |
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| 9 | 9 | | amended by adding Section 1001.3541 to read as follows: |
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| 10 | 10 | | Sec. 1001.3541. ALTERNATIVE METHOD OF INSTRUCTION FOR |
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| 11 | 11 | | DRIVER EDUCATION COURSE. (a) A driver education school may teach |
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| 12 | 12 | | all or part of the classroom portion of an approved driver education |
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| 13 | 13 | | course by an alternative method of instruction that does not |
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| 14 | 14 | | require students to be present in a classroom if the commissioner |
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| 15 | 15 | | approves the alternative method. |
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| 16 | 16 | | (b) The commissioner may approve the alternative method |
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| 17 | 17 | | only if: |
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| 18 | 18 | | (1) the alternative method includes testing and |
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| 19 | 19 | | security measures that the commissioner determines are at least as |
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| 20 | 20 | | secure as the measures available in the usual classroom setting; |
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| 21 | 21 | | and |
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| 22 | 22 | | (2) the course, with the use of the alternative |
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| 23 | 23 | | method, satisfies any other requirement applicable to a course in |
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| 24 | 24 | | which the classroom portion is taught to students in the usual |
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| 25 | 25 | | classroom setting. |
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| 26 | 26 | | SECTION 2. Section 1001.151, Education Code, is amended by |
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| 27 | 27 | | adding Subsection (m) to read as follows: |
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| 28 | 28 | | (m) The commissioner may establish a fee for an application |
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| 29 | 29 | | for approval to offer a driver education course by an alternative |
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| 30 | 30 | | method of instruction under Section 1001.3541 in an amount the |
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| 31 | 31 | | commissioner considers appropriate, not to exceed the amount |
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| 32 | 32 | | sufficient to cover the costs of considering the application. |
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| 33 | 33 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 34 | 34 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 35 | 35 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 36 | 36 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 37 | 37 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
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| 38 | 38 | | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 39 | 39 | | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 40 | 40 | | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 858 passed the Senate on |
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| 41 | 41 | | April 24, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays 1. |
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| 42 | 42 | | ______________________________ |
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| 43 | 43 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 44 | 44 | | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 858 passed the House on |
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| 45 | 45 | | May 12, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 145, Nays 0, one |
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| 46 | 46 | | present not voting. |
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| 47 | 47 | | ______________________________ |
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| 48 | 48 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 49 | 49 | | Approved: |
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| 50 | 50 | | ______________________________ |
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| 51 | 51 | | Date |
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| 52 | 52 | | ______________________________ |
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| 53 | 53 | | Governor |
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