H.B. No. 368

AN ACT

relating to the issuance of a driver's license to certain persons that includes an alternative to the license holder's residence address.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 521.1211, Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 521.1211. DRIVER'S LICENSE FOR PEACE OFFICERS AND PROSECUTORS [OFFICER]. (a) In this section:

(1) "Peace [, "peace] officer" has the meaning assigned by Article 2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, except that the term includes a special investigator as defined by Article 2.122, Code of Criminal Procedure.

(2) "Prosecutor" means a county attorney, district attorney, criminal district attorney, assistant county attorney, assistant district attorney, or assistant criminal district attorney.

(a-1) This section applies only to a peace officer and a prosecutor.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 521.121(a), the department by rule shall adopt procedures for the issuance of a driver's license to an applicant [a peace officer] that omits the license holder's actual residence address and includes, as an alternative, an address described under Subsection (f) [that is acceptable to the department and is in the:

[(1) municipality or county of the peace officer's residence; or

[(2) county of the peace officer's place of employment].

(c) To be issued a driver's license under this section, an applicant [a peace officer] must apply to the department and provide sufficient evidence acceptable to the department to establish the applicant's status as a person described under Subsection (a-1) [peace officer]. On issuance of the license, the license holder shall surrender any other driver's license issued to the holder by the department.

(d) If the holder of a driver's license that includes an alternative address moves to a new residence, or, for a prosecutor, to a new office address, or if the name of the person is changed by marriage or otherwise, the license holder shall, not later than the 30th day after the date of the address or name change, notify the department and provide the department with the number of the person's driver's license and, as applicable, the person's:

(1) former and new addresses; or

(2) former and new names.

(e) If the holder of a driver's license that includes an alternative address ceases to be a person described by Subsection (a-1) [peace officer], the license holder shall, not later than the 30th day after the date of the status change, apply to the department for issuance of a duplicate license. The duplicate license must include the person's actual current residence address.

(f) The department shall accept as an alternative address:

(1) for a peace officer, an address that is in the:

(A) municipality or county of the peace officer's residence; or

(B) county of the peace officer's place of employment; and

(2) for a prosecutor, the address of an office of the prosecutor.

SECTION 2. Section 63.0101, Election Code, is amended by adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:

(d) Pursuant to Section 63.001(c), proof of identification is presented only for the purpose of identifying a voter and not for verification of residence.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.

______________________________ ______________________________

President of the Senate Speaker of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 368 was passed by the House on May 5, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 130, Nays 15, 2 present, not voting.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 368 was passed by the Senate on May 26, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

______________________________ Secretary of the Senate APPROVED: _____________________

Date

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Governor