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.