| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the issuance of personal identification documents for |
|
|
foster children, homeless children or youth, and unaccompanied |
|
|
youth. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 521, Transportation Code, |
|
|
is amended by adding Section 521.1015 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 521.1015. PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION CERTIFICATE ISSUED |
|
|
TO FOSTER CHILD, HOMELESS CHILD OR YOUTH, OR UNACCOMPANIED YOUTH. |
|
|
(a) In this section: |
|
|
(1) "Foster child" means a person who is 16 years of |
|
|
age or older and in the managing conservatorship of the Department |
|
|
of Family and Protective Services. |
|
|
(2) "Homeless child or youth" has the meaning assigned |
|
|
by 42 U.S.C. Section 11434a. |
|
|
(3) "Unaccompanied youth" has the meaning assigned by |
|
|
42 U.S.C. Section 11434a. |
|
|
(b) This section applies to the application for a personal |
|
|
identification certificate only for a foster child, a homeless |
|
|
child or youth, or an unaccompanied youth. |
|
|
(c) Notwithstanding Section 521.101, Section 521.1426, or |
|
|
any other provision of this chapter, a child or youth described by |
|
|
Subsection (b) may, in applying for a personal identification |
|
|
certificate: |
|
|
(1) provide a copy of the child's or youth's birth |
|
|
certificate as proof of the child's or youth's identity and United |
|
|
States citizenship, as applicable; and |
|
|
(2) if the child or youth does not have a residence or |
|
|
domicile, provide a letter from the school district in which the |
|
|
child or youth is enrolled certifying that the child or youth is a |
|
|
homeless child or youth or an unaccompanied youth. |
|
|
(d) A child or youth described by Subsection (b) may apply |
|
|
for and the department may issue a personal identification |
|
|
certificate without the signature or presence of or permission from |
|
|
a parent or guardian of the child or youth. |
|
|
(e) A child or youth described by Subsection (b) is exempt |
|
|
from the payment of any fee for the issuance of a personal |
|
|
identification certificate under this chapter. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 521.1811, Transportation Code, is |
|
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 521.1811. WAIVER OF FEES FOR FOSTER CHILD, HOMELESS |
|
|
CHILD OR YOUTH, OR UNACCOMPANIED [CARE] YOUTH. A person is exempt |
|
|
from the payment of any fee for the issuance of a driver's license, |
|
|
as provided under this chapter, if that person is: |
|
|
(1) younger than 18 years of age and in the managing |
|
|
conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective |
|
|
Services; [or] |
|
|
(2) at least 18 years of age, but younger than 21 years |
|
|
of age, and resides in a foster care placement, the cost of which is |
|
|
paid by the Department of Family and Protective Services; or |
|
|
(3) a homeless child or youth or an unaccompanied |
|
|
youth as those terms are defined by 42 U.S.C. Section 11434a. |
|
|
SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply to an |
|
|
application for a driver's license or personal identification |
|
|
certificate submitted on or after the effective date of this Act. |
|
|
An application for a driver's license or personal identification |
|
|
certificate submitted before the effective date of this Act is |
|
|
governed by the law in effect on the date the application was |
|
|
submitted, and the former law is continued in effect for that |
|
|
purpose. |
|
|
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |