| 1 | 1 | | 89R2400 BEE-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Menéndez S.B. No. 159 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to an education and training program for certain public |
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| 10 | 10 | | transportation vehicle operators on interacting with and |
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| 11 | 11 | | supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental |
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| 12 | 12 | | disabilities. |
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| 13 | 13 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 14 | 14 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 451, Transportation Code, |
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| 15 | 15 | | is amended by adding Section 451.114 to read as follows: |
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| 16 | 16 | | Sec. 451.114. REQUIRED EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAM ON |
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| 17 | 17 | | INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES: |
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| 18 | 18 | | CERTAIN AUTHORITIES. (a) This section applies only to an authority |
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| 19 | 19 | | created before 1980 in which the principal municipality has a |
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| 20 | 20 | | population of less than 1.9 million. |
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| 21 | 21 | | (b) An authority shall establish an education and training |
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| 22 | 22 | | program on interacting with and supporting individuals with |
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| 23 | 23 | | intellectual and developmental disabilities, including individuals |
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| 24 | 24 | | with autism spectrum disorder, for employees of the authority who |
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| 25 | 25 | | operate vehicles used to provide public transportation services for |
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| 26 | 26 | | the authority. The program must include instruction relating to: |
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| 27 | 27 | | (1) identifying and communicating with individuals |
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| 28 | 28 | | with intellectual or developmental disabilities, including |
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| 29 | 29 | | individuals with autism spectrum disorder; and |
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| 30 | 30 | | (2) assisting an individual with an intellectual or |
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| 31 | 31 | | developmental disability, including an individual with an autism |
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| 32 | 32 | | spectrum disorder, to safely enter and exit a vehicle used to |
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| 33 | 33 | | provide public transportation services. |
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| 34 | 34 | | (c) An authority, or a person with whom the authority |
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| 35 | 35 | | contracts, may not allow an employee to operate a vehicle used to |
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| 36 | 36 | | provide public transportation services for the authority unless the |
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| 37 | 37 | | employee has completed the training program established by the |
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| 38 | 38 | | authority under this section. |
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| 39 | 39 | | SECTION 2. Not later than March 1, 2026, a rapid transit |
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| 40 | 40 | | authority shall establish the training program required by Section |
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| 41 | 41 | | 451.114, Transportation Code, as added by this Act. |
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| 42 | 42 | | SECTION 3. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this |
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| 43 | 43 | | section, this Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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| 44 | 44 | | (b) Section 451.114(c), Transportation Code, as added by |
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| 45 | 45 | | this Act, takes effect September 1, 2026. |
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