HBA-DMD H.B. 2802 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2802
By: Ritter
Public Safety
4/5/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

In 1997, the 75th Texas Legislature created a program that allows political
subdivisions to contract with the Department of Public Safety (department)
in order to assist in the enforcement of traffic violations. Cities and
counties participating in the program notify the department of a person who
fails to appear for a court date for certain Class C traffic violations,
and the department denies renewal of the person's driver's license unless
the outstanding fine is paid. H.B. 2802 authorizes a political subdivision
to contract with the department to provide information necessary for the
department to deny renewal of the driver's license of a person who fails to
appear for a complaint, citation, or court order to pay a fine involving
any other offense over which a justice or municipal court that has
jurisdiction. 

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 Section 706.002(a), Transportation Code, to authorize a
political subdivision to contract with the Department of Public Safety
(department) to provide information necessary for the department to deny
renewal of the driver's license of a person who fails to appear for a
complaint, citation, or court order to pay a fine involving any other
offense that a justice or municipal court has jurisdiction of under Article
4.11 (Jurisdiction of Justice Courts) or 4.14 (Jurisdiction of Municipal
Court), Code of Criminal Procedure.  

SECTION 2.  Amends Sections 706.004 and 706.005, Transportation Code, to
make conforming changes. 

SECTION 3.  Amends Section 706.006(a), Transportation Code, to make a
conforming change. 

SECTION 4.  Sets forth that in accordance with Section 311.031(c),
Government Code, which gives effect to a substantive amendment enacted by
the same legislature that codifies the amended statute, the text of
Sections 706.002(a) (Contract With Department), 706.004 (Denial of Renewal
of Driver's License), 706.005 (Notice to Department), and 706.006(a)
(Administrative Fee), Transportation Code, as set out in this Act, give
effect to changes made by Chapter 457, Acts of the 75th Legislature,
Regular Session, 1997. Provides that to  the  extent of any conflict, this
Act controls over another Act of the 76th Legislature, Regular Session,
1999,  relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted
codes.  

SECTION 5.  Effective date:  September 1, 1999. 

SECTION 6.Emergency clause.