BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2949

By: Cain

Business & Industry

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

This bill is titled the 2Step Act to honor a fallen combat veteran, Sgt. Adam "2Step" Huckstep, who was killed by a driver who rented a vehicle without a valid driver's license. There are concerns about individuals with invalid or suspended driver's licenses being able to rent motor vehicles. This is a public safety issue on Texas roads, and can be addressed by ensuring that rental companies take an additional step to verify the validity of a renter's driver's license before allowing them to rent a motor vehicle. Current law requires rental companies to inspect the renter's driver's license, but concerns have been raised that a simple inspection does not ensure the license is valid. This has resulted in individuals with invalid or suspended licenses being able to rent motor vehicles and causing serious injury or death. H.B. 2949 seeks to resolve this issue by requiring a person, before renting a vehicle, to verify that the driver has a valid driver's license.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 2949 amends the Transportation Code to prohibit a person from renting a motor vehicle to a Texas resident until the person has verified with the Department of Public Safety (DPS) or a private vendor that has contracted with DPS to establish an interactive system to access certain driver's license record information that the renter's driver's license is valid.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023.