HBA-NLM H.B. 19 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 19 By: Goolsby Public Safety 2/3/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, municipalities in Texas may contract with the Department of Public Safety to deny renewal of a person's driver's license for failure to appear for a complaint, citation, or court order to pay a fine involving a violation of traffic law. However, outstanding fines on parking violations were not included in the provisions of the initial contract. The total amount of fines associated with these violations has reached over $11 million. H.B.19 allows municipalities to contract with DPS to deny the renewal of a driver's license to an individual that has outstanding parking citations in excess of $100. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Subtitle I, Title 7, Transportation Code, by adding Chapter 707, as follows: CHAPTER 707. DENIAL OF RENEWAL OF LICENSE FOR FAILURE TO PAY MUNICIPAL PARKING FINES Sec. 707.001. DEFINITIONS. Defines "department"and "driver's license." Sec. 707.002. CONTRACT WITH DEPARTMENT. Authorizes a municipality to contract with the Department of Public Safety (department) in order to provide the department necessary information to deny the renewal of the driver's license of a person who has an unpaid fine for a violation of an ordinance of the municipality regulating the parking or stopping of a vehicle. Provides that a municipality is authorized to report to the department an unpaid fine for a violation of the municipality's ordinance under this section only if the fine is past due, if the person failed to make a timely appearance in court to challenge the imposition of the fine, and if the person owes the municipality more than $100 in past due fines, including the fine for which a report is made, for violations of the municipality's ordinances which regulate the parking or stopping of a vehicle. Provides that a contract under this section must be made in accordance with Chapter 791, Government Code (Interlocal Cooperation Contracts) and is subject to the ability of the parties to provide or pay for the required services under the contract. Sec. 707.003. DENIAL OF RENEWAL OF LICENSE. Provides that, if a contract is made under this chapter, the department is authorized to deny the renewal of a driver's license upon the receipt of the necessary information. Requires the municipality to perform its duties in the same manner as for a contract under Chapter 706 (Denial of Renewal of License for Failure to Appear). Sec. 707.004. WARNING; CITATION. Provides that, if a municipality makes a contract under this chapter, a citation for a violation of an ordinance of the municipality regulating the parking or stopping of a vehicle must include a warning as required by Section 706.003. Provides that a warning must state that a driver's license renewal may be denied if a person fails to pay a fine associated with the violation. Sec. 707.005. NOTICE TO DEPARTMENT. Requires the municipality to notify the department that there is no longer a reason to continue to deny a driver's license renewal based on a violation of an ordinance regulating the parking or stopping of a vehicle if the person pays any fee required by Section 706.006 (Administrative Fee) and an event occurs under Section 706.005 (Notice to Department), which applies to a violation of the ordinance. SECTION 2. Makes application of this Act prospective. SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 4. Emergency clause.