Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Texas House Bill HB3171 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	85R3505 MM-D
2	2	By: Parker H.B. No. 3171
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the amount of instruction time required for driver
8	8	training.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Section 1001.001, Education Code, is amended by
11	11	adding Subdivision (3-a) to read as follows:
12	12	(3-a) "Course hour" means 50 minutes of classroom or
13	13	in-car instruction, as applicable, within a 60-minute period.
14	14	SECTION 2. Section 1001.101(b), Education Code, is amended
15	15	to read as follows:
16	16	(b) A driver education course must require the student to
17	17	complete:
18	18	(1) seven course [7] hours of behind-the-wheel
19	19	instruction in the presence of a person who holds a driver education
20	20	instructor license or who meets the requirements for a driver
21	21	education course conducted by a parent or other individual under
22	22	Section 1001.112;
23	23	(2) seven course [7] hours of observation instruction
24	24	in the presence of a person who holds a driver education instructor
25	25	license or who meets the requirements for a driver education course
26	26	conducted by a parent or other individual under Section 1001.112;
27	27	and
28	28	(3) 30 course hours of behind-the-wheel instruction,
29	29	including at least 10 course hours of instruction that takes place
30	30	at night, in the presence of an adult who meets the requirements of
31	31	Section 521.222(d)(2), Transportation Code.
32	32	SECTION 3. Section 1001.1015(b), Education Code, is amended
33	33	to read as follows:
34	34	(b) A driver education course under Subsection (a) must:
35	35	(1) consist of six [be a six-hour] course hours; and
36	36	(2) include instruction in:
37	37	(A) alcohol and drug awareness;
38	38	(B) the traffic laws of this state;
39	39	(C) highway signs, signals, and markings that
40	40	regulate, warn, or direct traffic; and
41	41	(D) the issues commonly associated with motor
42	42	vehicle accidents, including poor decision-making, risk taking,
43	43	impaired driving, distraction, speed, failure to use a safety belt,
44	44	driving at night, failure to yield the right-of-way, and using a
45	45	wireless communication device while operating a vehicle.
46	46	SECTION 4. Section 1001.111(b), Education Code, is amended
47	47	to read as follows:
48	48	(b) A driving safety course designed for drivers younger
49	49	than 25 years of age must:
50	50	(1) consist of four course hours and be a [four-hour]
51	51	live, interactive course focusing on issues specific to drivers
52	52	younger than 25 years of age;
53	53	(2) include instruction in:
54	54	(A) alcohol and drug awareness;
55	55	(B) the traffic laws of this state;
56	56	(C) the high rate of motor vehicle accidents and
57	57	fatalities for drivers younger than 25 years of age;
58	58	(D) the issues commonly associated with motor
59	59	vehicle accidents involving drivers younger than 25 years of age,
60	60	including poor decision-making, risk taking, impaired driving,
61	61	distraction, speed, failure to use a safety belt, driving at night,
62	62	failure to yield the right-of-way, and using a wireless
63	63	communication device while operating a vehicle, and the role of
64	64	peer pressure in those issues;
65	65	(E) the effect of poor driver decision-making on
66	66	the family, friends, school, and community of a driver younger than
67	67	25 years of age; and
68	68	(F) the importance of taking control of
69	69	potentially dangerous driving situations both as a driver and as a
70	70	passenger; and
71	71	(3) require a written commitment by the student to
72	72	family and friends that the student will not engage in dangerous
73	73	driving habits.
74	74	SECTION 5. Section 1001.112(a), Education Code, is amended
75	75	to read as follows:
76	76	(a) The commission by rule shall provide for approval of a
77	77	driver education course conducted by the parent, stepparent, foster
78	78	parent, legal guardian, grandparent, or step-grandparent of a
79	79	person who is required to complete a driver education course to
80	80	obtain a Class C license. The rules must provide that the student
81	81	driver spend a minimum number of course hours in classroom and
82	82	behind-the-wheel instruction and that the person conducting the
83	83	course:
84	84	(1) possess a valid license for the preceding three
85	85	years that has not been suspended, revoked, or forfeited in the past
86	86	three years for an offense that involves the operation of a motor
87	87	vehicle;
88	88	(2) has not been convicted of:
89	89	(A) criminally negligent homicide; or
90	90	(B) driving while intoxicated;
91	91	(3) is not disabled because of mental illness; and
92	92	(4) does not have six or more points assigned to the
93	93	person's driver's license under Subchapter B, Chapter 708,
94	94	Transportation Code, at the time the person begins conducting the
95	95	course.
96	96	SECTION 6. The changes in law made by this Act apply to a
97	97	driver training course that begins on or after the effective date of
98	98	this Act. A driver training course that begins before the effective
99	99	date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the
100	100	course began, and the former law is continued in effect for that
101	101	purpose.
102	102	SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.