HBA-NMO H.B. 284 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 284 By: Wise Public Safety 4/21/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) requires individuals applying for a driver's license in a few large cities in this state to take the license examination through the use of an electronic or mechanical testing method. These use of these methods may deter some people from applying to obtain a driver's license. H.B. 284 requires DPS to give each applicant for a driver's license the option of taking certain parts of the license examination through the use of oral responses. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 521.161, Transportation Code, by adding Subsection (f), as follows: (f) Requires the Department of Public Safety (department) to give each applicant for a driver's license the option of taking the traffic law and highway sign part of the examination through the use of oral responses in addition to or instead of through a mechanical, electronic, or other testing method. Provides that the applicant is considered to have passed that part of the examination if the applicant passes any version of the examination. Requires the department to inform each person taking the examination of the person's rights under this subsection. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 3. Emergency clause.