83R5735 MMC-F
By: Parker H.B. No. 2320
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to establishing a pilot program for driver education
schools to administer certain driver's license examinations;
authorizing fees.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter H, Chapter 521, Transportation Code,
is amended by adding Section 521.1656 to read as follows:
Sec. 521.1656. PILOT PROGRAM FOR ADDITIONAL TESTING BY
DRIVER EDUCATION SCHOOL. (a) This section applies only to a county
that has a population of at least 662,000 and is adjacent to three
or more counties each of which has a population of 782,000 or more.
(b) The department shall establish in a county to which this
section applies a pilot program under which the department may
designate driver education schools licensed under Chapter 1001,
Education Code, to administer the examination required under
Section 521.161(b)(2) in addition to the department's
administration of that examination.
(c) The department shall:
(1) establish criteria for a driver education school
to apply for participation in the pilot program;
(2) monitor participating driver education schools to
ensure that the driver education schools are conducting thorough
examinations; and
(3) conduct annual reports outlining:
(A) the number of individuals who opt to have the
examination required under Section 521.161(b)(2) administered by a
participating driver education school;
(B) the number of traffic incidents and citations
involving drivers who were administered the examination required
under Section 521.161(b)(2) by a driver education school under the
pilot program and whether that number is proportional to the
overall incident and citation rate in this state; and
(C) the department's assessment of the ability of
driver education schools to effectively administer the examination
required under Section 521.161(b)(2).
(d) The department shall set the amount of the fee a driver
education school participating in the pilot program may charge for
administering an examination required under Section 521.161(b)(2).
A driver education school participating in the pilot program may
not accept payment in cash for services provided under this
section.
(e) The department may charge a driver education school a
fee for applying to enter the pilot program and for participating in
the program. The department shall set the fees in amounts
sufficient to cover the costs of administering this section.
(f) The department shall adopt rules to implement this
section.
(g) This section expires September 1, 2017.
SECTION 2. The Department of Public Safety shall adopt the
rules required by Section 521.1656, Transportation Code, as added
by this Act, not later than January 1, 2014.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.