By Jones of Dallas H.B. No. 2543 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to interactive access to driver's license records of the 1-3 Department of Public Safety, creating access to National Driver 1-4 Register (NDR) records through the Department of Public Safety, and 1-5 authorizing fees for access to such information. 1-6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-7 SECTION 1. Section 21, Chapter 173, Acts of the 47th 1-8 Legislature, Regular Session, 1941 (Article 6687b, Vernon's Texas 1-9 Civil Statutes), is amended by adding Subsection (m) to read as 1-10 follows: 1-11 (m) The Department is authorized to establish a system, 1-12 separate from the Department's mainframe computer, which will allow 1-13 interactive access to certain driver record information. Two 1-14 levels of service are authorized to be provided in this subsection: 1-15 the status request described in Subsection (e) of this section; and 1-16 the three-year record as described in Subsection (d) of this 1-17 section. The fee for a status check provided through this system 1-18 will be $2.50. The fee for a three-year record will be $4.50. 1-19 Fifty cents ($.50) of each fee collected under this subsection 1-20 shall be deposited into a fund and is hereby appropriated for use 1-21 by the Department to administer this Article. The remainder of 1-22 fees collected will be disposed of in accordance with Section 15 of 1-23 this Article. The Department is authorized to contract with one or 2-1 more private vendors to implement this subsection. The Department 2-2 is authorized to adopt rules to implement this subsection. 2-3 SECTION 2. Section 21, Chapter 173, Acts of the 47th 2-4 Legislature, Regular Session, 1941 (Article 6687b, Vernon's Texas 2-5 Civil Statutes), is amended by adding Subsection (n) to read as 2-6 follows: 2-7 (n)(1) The Department is authorized to process National 2-8 Driver Register (NDR) file check requests on behalf of current or 2-9 prospective employers of individuals employed or seeking employment 2-10 as motor vehicle or railway locomotive operators, provided the 2-11 individual has given written consent and is licensed in this state. 2-12 The Department shall charge a $4.00 fee for each request processed 2-13 and transmitted to the NDR. The Department shall forward the NDR 2-14 response directly to the current or prospective employer. 2-15 (2) The Department shall assist and provide procedures 2-16 for individuals who wish to obtain NDR file check information on 2-17 themselves. The Department may by rule establish reasonable fees 2-18 for such services, in conformity with NDR policies. 2-19 (3) The Department may adopt forms and rules necessary 2-20 to implement this subsection and to comply with NDR policies. 2-21 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-22 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-23 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-24 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-25 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 3-1 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 3-2 passage, and it is so enacted.