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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to residency requirements for driver's licenses and |
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personal identification certificates. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 521.101, Transportation Code, is amended |
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by amending Subsections (f-1) and (j) to read as follows: |
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(f-1) A personal identification certificate issued to a |
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person whose address of principal residence [or domicile] is a |
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correctional facility or a parole facility expires on the first |
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birthday of the license holder occurring after the first |
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anniversary of the date of issuance. |
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(j) The department may not issue a personal identification |
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certificate to a person who has not established an address of |
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principal residence [a domicile] in this state. |
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SECTION 2. Section 521.1015(c), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(c) Notwithstanding Section 521.101, Section 521.1426, or |
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any other provision of this chapter, a child or youth described by |
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Subsection (b) may, in applying for a personal identification |
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certificate: |
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(1) provide a copy of the child's or youth's birth |
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certificate as proof of the child's or youth's identity and United |
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States citizenship, as applicable; and |
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(2) if the child or youth does not have an address of |
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principal [a] residence [or domicile]: |
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(A) provide a letter certifying the child or |
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youth is a homeless child or youth issued by: |
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(i) the school district in which the child |
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or youth is enrolled; |
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(ii) the director of an emergency shelter |
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or transitional housing program funded by the United States |
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Department of Housing and Urban Development; or |
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(iii) the director of: |
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(a) a basic center for runaway and |
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homeless youth; or |
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(b) a transitional living program; or |
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(B) use the address of the regional office where |
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the Department of Family and Protective Services caseworker for the |
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child or youth is based. |
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SECTION 3. Section 521.1016(c), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(c) Notwithstanding Section 521.101, Section 521.1426, or |
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any other provision of this chapter, an individual described by |
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Subsection (b) may, in applying for a personal identification |
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certificate: |
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(1) provide a copy of the individual's birth |
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certificate as proof of the individual's identity and United States |
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citizenship, as applicable; and |
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(2) if the individual does not have an address of |
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principal [a] residence [or domicile], provide a letter certifying |
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the individual is homeless issued by: |
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(A) an advocate; |
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(B) a licensed mental health services provider |
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who examined and evaluated the individual; or |
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(C) the director of an emergency shelter or |
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transitional housing program funded by the United States Department |
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of Housing and Urban Development or through the Victims of Crime Act |
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of 1984 (Title II, Pub. L. No. 98-473). |
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SECTION 4. Section 521.1426, Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 521.1426. ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL RESIDENCE [DOMICILE] |
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REQUIREMENT; VERIFICATION. (a) The department may not issue a |
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driver's license or a personal identification certificate to a |
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person who has not established an address of principal residence [a |
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domicile] in this state. |
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(b) The department shall adopt rules for determining |
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whether an address of principal residence [a domicile] has been |
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established, including rules prescribing the types of |
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documentation the department may require from the applicant to |
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verify the validity of the claimed principal residence [domicile]. |
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(c) The department may contract with a third-party personal |
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data verification service to assist the department in verifying a |
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claim of an address of principal residence [domicile], including |
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whether the physical address provided by the applicant is the |
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applicant's actual principal residence. |
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SECTION 5. Sections 521.271(a) and (b), Transportation |
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Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) Each original driver's license, provisional license, |
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learner license, or occupational driver's license issued to an |
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applicant who is a citizen, national, or legal permanent resident |
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of the United States or a refugee or asylee lawfully admitted into |
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the United States expires as follows: |
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(1) except as provided by Section 521.2711, a driver's |
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license expires on the first birthday of the license holder |
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occurring after the eighth anniversary of the date of the |
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application; |
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(2) a provisional license expires on the 18th birthday |
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of the license holder; |
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(3) a learner license expires on the 18th birthday of |
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the license holder; |
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(4) an occupational driver's license expires on the |
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first anniversary of the court order granting the license; and |
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(5) unless an earlier date is otherwise provided, a |
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driver's license issued to a person whose address of principal |
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residence [or domicile] is a correctional facility or a parole |
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facility expires on the first birthday of the license holder |
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occurring after the first anniversary of the date of issuance. |
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(b) Except as provided by Section 521.2711, a driver's |
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license that is renewed expires on the earlier of: |
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(1) the eighth anniversary of the expiration date |
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before renewal if the applicant is a citizen, national, or legal |
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permanent resident of the United States or a refugee or asylee |
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lawfully admitted into the United States; |
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(1-a) for an applicant not described by Subdivision |
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(1): |
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(A) the earlier of: |
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(i) the eighth anniversary of the |
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expiration date before renewal; or |
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(ii) the expiration date of the applicant's |
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authorized stay in the United States; or |
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(B) the first anniversary of the date of |
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issuance, if there is no definite expiration date for the |
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applicant's authorized stay in the United States; or |
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(2) for a renewal driver's license issued to a person |
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whose address of principal residence [or domicile] is a |
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correctional facility or a parole facility, the first birthday of |
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the license holder occurring after the first anniversary of the |
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date of issuance unless an earlier date is otherwise provided. |
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SECTION 6. Section 521.421(a-2), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a-2) Except as provided by Subsection (a-1), the |
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department by rule shall establish the fee for a personal |
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identification certificate or driver's license issued to a person |
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whose address of principal residence [or domicile] is a |
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correctional facility or a parole facility. |
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SECTION 7. The changes in law made by this Act apply to an |
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application for a driver's license or personal identification |
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certificate submitted on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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An application for a driver's license or personal identification |
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certificate submitted before the effective date of this Act is |
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governed by the law in effect on the date the application was |
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submitted, and the former law is continued in effect for that |
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purpose. |
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SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |