By: Parker (Senate Sponsor - Harris) H.B. No. 673
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 6, 2011;
May 9, 2011, read first time and referred to Committee on
Transportation and Homeland Security; May 19, 2011, reported
favorably by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 19, 2011, sent
to printer.)
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the production and use of an instructional video on
recreational water safety.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 12, Parks and Wildlife
Code, is amended by adding Section 12.012 to read as follows:
Sec. 12.012. RECREATIONAL WATER SAFETY VIDEO. (a) The
department shall produce a video suitable for use with high school
students on recreational water safety. The video must include
instruction on safe participation in recreational activities in,
on, or around the lakes, rivers, and coastal waters of this state.
(b) The department shall notify the Texas Education Agency
in writing when the recreational water safety video is available
for the agency's use.
(c) The department may edit the content of the recreational
water safety video to produce a boater education video that
complies with federal standards for boating education courses
published by the National Association of State Boating Law
Administrators.
SECTION 2. Subchapter Z, Chapter 29, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 29.9021 to read as follows:
Sec. 29.9021. WATER SAFETY EDUCATION. The agency by rule
shall incorporate a curriculum module on recreational water safety
into driver education instruction using the video on recreational
water safety produced under Section 12.012, Parks and Wildlife
Code, when the agency is notified that the video is available.
SECTION 3. The Parks and Wildlife Department shall produce
the recreational water safety video described by Section 12.012,
Parks and Wildlife Code, as added by this Act, as soon as production
costs can be paid from money identified as available for that
purpose in the department's operating budget.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2011.
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