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