HBA-DMD S.B. 923 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 923
By: Wentworth
Public Safety
5/18/1999
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, a licensed driver who is 18 years of age or older and who
accompanies a student driver may be asleep without violating the law.
Current law requires accompaniment, rather than supervision from the
accompanying driver. S.B. 923 provides that a person who accompanies a
student driver commits an offense if, while the student driver is operating
the vehicle, the person sleeps, is intoxicated, or is engaged in an
activity that prevents the person from observing and responding to the
actions of the operator.  

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 521.222, Transportation Code, by adding
Subsection (f), to provide that a person who occupies the seat in a vehicle
driven by an instruction permit holder commits an offense if, while the
holder is operating the vehicle, the person sleeps; is intoxicated, as
defined by Section 49.01 (Definitions), Penal Code; or is engaged in an
activity that prevents the person from observing and responding to the
actions of the operator. 

SECTION 2.Effective date: September 1, 1999.