C.S.H.B. 57 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


C.S.H.B. 57
By: Wise
Law Enforcement
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, all applications for a Texas driver's license must
state the applicant's full name, place and date of birth, and must be
verified by the presentation of proof of identity satisfactory to the
Department of Public Safety (DPS).  Since 1998, DPS has progressively
restricted the list of acceptable documents to prove identity, and  many
applicants whose proof of identity is a document issued by a foreign
government are now excluded from obtaining a driver's license.  The
exclusion of these individuals from access to a driver's license is viewed
by many as a threat to public safety, creating conditions that encourage
unlicensed, unregistered drivers, drivers with improper vehicle insurance,
and an environment propitious for fraud.  C.S.H.B. 57 addresses these
issues by requiring DPS to accept certain verifiable foreign identity
documents. 


RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or
institution. 

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 57 amends Section 521.142(a), Transportation Code, by adding
language requiring the Department of Public Safety to accept identity
documents issued by foreign governments as proof of identity for purposes
of application for an original driver's license.  The bill provides that
the Department of Public Safety must only accept those documents which
bear the applicant's photo, full name, and date of birth.  The foreign
government that issued the identity document must have established
reasonable mechanisms by which the department can verify the identity
document.  The bill provides that identity documents include a passport, a
consular identity document, and a national identity document.     


EFFECTIVE DATE

This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.


COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 57 modifies the original by adding language providing that the
term "identity document," as used in this section, includes passports,
consular identity documents, and national identity documents.