HBA-DMD, RAR H.B. 571 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 571 By: Hupp Public Safety 6/30/1999 Enrolled BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Prior to the 76th Legislature, driver's licenses issued by the state contained certain information about the driver's license holder in electronically readable form. Applicants for a driver's license were also required to provide fingerprints. H.B. 571 prohibits the Department of Public Safety (department) from including any information on a driver's license, commercial driver's license, or identification certificate in electronically readable form other than the specified information. This bill requires the department to take necessary steps to ensure that the information is used only for law enforcement or governmental purposes. It establishes that the unauthorized use of the information is a Class A misdemeanor. 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 Subchapter F, Chapter 521, Transportation Code, by adding Section 521.126, as follows: Sec. 521.126. ELECTRONICALLY READABLE INFORMATION. Prohibits the Department of Public Safety (department) from including any information on a driver's license, commercial driver's license, or identification certificate in an electronically readable form other than the information printed on the license and a physical description of the licensee. Requires the department to take necessary steps to ensure that the information is used only for law enforcement or governmental purposes. Sets forth that the unauthorized use of the information is a Class A misdemeanor. SECTION 2. Makes application of this Act prospective. SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 4. Emergency clause.