HBA-CMT, DMH, LJP H.B. 396 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 396
By: Wise
Public Safety
4/6/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, all applications for a Texas driver's license must state
the applicant's full name, and place and date of birth and must be verified
by presentation of proof of identity satisfactory to the Department of
Public Safety (DPS).  DPS sometimes requests that social security cards be
presented, because DPS uses social security numbers to track applicants who
owe child support.  However, some applicants may not be eligible for social
security cards.  House Bill 396 provides a list of acceptable alternatives
or documents that DPS may use in lieu of social security numbers to help
applicants obtain a valid drivers license. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking
authority is expressly delegated to the Department of Public Safety in
SECTION 2 (Section 521.142(a), Transportation Code) of this bill. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 396 amends the Family Code to provide an exception to the
requirement that a licensing authority request and an applicant for a
license provide the applicant's social security number for the purpose of
assisting in the administration of laws relating to child support
enforcement. The bill provides that an application for a driver's license
may be accompanied by the applicant's social security number, an SSA L-676
letter from the Social Security Administration stating that the applicant
is ineligible to obtain a social security number, a temporary
identification number issued to the applicant by the Internal Revenue
Service, or a notarized affidavit from the applicant stating that the
applicant has not been issued any of these documents.    

The bill also amends the Transportation Code to specify what proof of
identification an applicant for an original driver's license must provide
to verify that applicant's full name and place and date of birth. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.