Sec. 1001.112. PARENT-TAUGHT DRIVER EDUCATION.

(a) The commission by rule shall provide for approval of a driver education course conducted by the following persons with the noted relationship to a person who is required to complete a driver education course to obtain a Class C license:

(1) a parent, stepparent, foster parent, legal guardian, grandparent, or step-grandparent; or

(2) an individual who:

(A) has been designated by a parent, a legal guardian, or a judge of a court with jurisdiction over the person on a form prescribed by the department;

(B) is at least 25 years of age or older;

(C) does not charge a fee for conducting the course;

(D) has at least seven years of driving experience; and

(E) otherwise qualifies to conduct a course under Subsection (a-1).

(a-1) The rules must provide that the student driver spend a minimum number of hours in classroom and behind-the-wheel instruction.

(a-2) The rules must provide that the person conducting the course:

(1) possess a valid license for the preceding three years that has not been suspended, revoked, or forfeited in the past three years for an offense that involves the operation of a motor vehicle;

(2) has not been convicted of:

(A) criminally negligent homicide; or

(B) driving while intoxicated in the past seven years; and

(3) has not been convicted during the preceding three years of:

(A) three or more moving violations described by Section 542.304, Transportation Code, including violations that resulted in an accident; or

(B) two or more moving violations described by Section 542.304, Transportation Code, that resulted in an accident.

(b) The department may approve a course described by Subsection (a) if the department determines that the course materials are at least equal to those required in a course approved by the department, and the department may not require that:

(1) the classroom instruction be provided in a room with particular characteristics or equipment; or

(2) the vehicle used for the behind-the-wheel instruction have equipment other than the equipment otherwise required by law for operation of the vehicle on a highway while the vehicle is not being used for driver training.

(c) The rules must provide a method by which:

(1) approval of a course is obtained;

(2) an applicant submits proof of completion of the course;

(3) approval for delivering course materials by an alternative method, including electronic means, is obtained;

(4) a provider of a course approved under this section may administer to an applicant the highway sign and traffic law parts of the examination as provided by Section 521.1655(a-1), Transportation Code, through electronic means; and

(5) an applicant submits proof of passage of an examination administered under Subdivision (4).

(d) Completion of a driver education course approved under this section has the same effect under this chapter as completion of a driver education course approved by the department.

(e) The department may not charge a fee for the submission of proof of completion of the course or passage of an examination under Subsection (c).

Added by Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1044 (H.B. 1786), Sec. 26, eff. September 1, 2015.

Amended by:

Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 584 (S.B. 848), Sec. 3, eff. June 9, 2017.

Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 990 (H.B. 912), Sec. 3, eff. June 15, 2017.

Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1094 (H.B. 2048), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2019.