BILL ANALYSIS



H.B. 2035
By: Hamric
05-03-95
Committee Report (Unamended)


BACKGROUND

Currently Texas law only allows Justice and Municipal Courts to
suspend a driver's license of a minor who fails to take care of a
traffic offense.  As the gravity and occurrences of crimes
committed by juveniles increases, our juvenile system must provide
appropriate punishment for the crime but compensate for the age of
the criminal.  

PURPOSE

This Act would allow Justice and Municipal Courts to suspend a
driver's license for a failure to appear or a default in payment of
a fine for a misdemeanor punishable by a fine only.  This Act only
applies to a person under the age of 17 when the offense was
committed.

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.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1.  Amends Section 22(b), Chapter 173, Acts of the 47th
Legislature, Regular Session, 1941 (Article 6687b, Vernon's Texas
Civil Statutes), by adding a 17th point under Subsection (b).  The
17th point refers to a juvenile who has committed an offense and
has failed to appear or had a default in payment for a misdemeanor
punishable by a fine only.

Section 2.  Effective Date.  This Act takes effect September 1,
1995.

Section 3.  Emergency Clause.

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION

H.B. 2035 was considered by the committee in a public hearing on
April 11, 1995.
The following person testified for the bill:
     Judge Tom Lawrence, representing himself.
The bill was left pending.

H.B. 2035 was considered by the committee in a public hearing on
April 26, 1995.
The bill was reported favorably without amendment, with the
recommendation that it do pass and be printed and be sent to the
Committee on Local and Consent Calendars, by a record vote of 8
ayes, 0 nays, 0 pnv, 1 absent.