S.B. No. 1051
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the accommodation of a deaf or hard of hearing student
  in driver education; authorizing a fee.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 1001, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 1001.059 to read as follows:
         Sec. 1001.059.  DEPARTMENT DRIVER EDUCATION COURSE FOR DEAF
  OR HARD OF HEARING STUDENTS.  (a)  The department shall:
               (1)  create a driver education course for minors and
  adults that presents the course curriculum in American Sign
  Language; and
               (2)  make the course described by Subdivision (1)
  available on the department's Internet website.
         (b)  The department may collaborate with another state
  agency or contract with a licensed driver education school or
  instructor to create the course.
         (c)  The commission by rule shall establish a fee for the
  course.  The fee established under this section:
               (1)  is in addition to a fee charged for a certificate
  for the course; and
               (2)  must be in an amount that is:
                     (A)  not more than an amount necessary to cover
  the cost of creating and administering the course; and
                     (B)  not more than the average cost of an online
  driver education course provided in this state, as determined by
  the commission.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter C, Chapter 1001, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 1001.1016 to read as follows:
         Sec. 1001.1016.  ACCOMMODATION FOR DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING
  STUDENTS. (a)  In this section:
               (1)  "Deaf" means a hearing loss of such severity that
  an individual must depend on visual methods to communicate.
               (2)  "Hard of hearing" means a loss of hearing function
  to an individual such that the individual:
                     (A)  relies on residual hearing; and
                     (B)  may depend on visual methods to communicate.
         (b)  The commission by rule shall require a driver education
  school providing a driver education course to:
               (1)  in the manner described by the Americans with
  Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Section 12101 et seq.), make
  reasonable modifications and provide aids and services when
  providing the classroom portion of the course that are necessary to
  ensure that a student who is deaf or hard of hearing may fully
  participate in the course; and
               (2)  provide to the department the school's plan for
  complying with the rules adopted under this section as a condition
  of obtaining a license under Section 1001.211 or renewing a license
  under Section 1001.303.
         (c)  The rules adopted under Subsection (b) must allow a
  driver education school to comply with the requirements of this
  section by playing a video that presents the classroom portion of
  the driver education course in a manner that complies with the
  requirements of this section.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
 
 
 
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1051 passed the Senate on
  April 5, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 28, Nays 2; and that
  the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 25, 2017, by the
  following vote: Yeas 29, Nays 2.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1051 passed the House, with
  amendment, on May 19, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 143,
  Nays 0, one present not voting.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
 
  Approved:
 
  ______________________________ 
              Date
 
 
  ______________________________ 
            Governor