C.S.H.B. 874 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


C.S.H.B. 874
By: Menendez
Transportation
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

H.B. 874 78(R)    The current Transportation Code requires the driver's
license or personal identification card number of an applicant to be
recorded on their disabled parking placard.  States such as California
issue disabled parking placards without requiring that such personal
information be recorded on the placard, which is ultimately placed in a
highly visible and public area within the person's vehicle. By publicizing
such information in this public manner, the personal safety of disabled
persons could be jeopardized, subjecting them to identity theft or other
abuses. 

The purpose of CSHB 874 is to reduce the personal safety risk to the
disabled by repealing the provision requiring the driver's license or
personal identification to be recorded on disabled parking placards.
Other requirements for the disabled parking placard will remain in effect. 

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

Section 1.  Amends Section 681.0031(b) of the Transportation Code to
require the county assessorcollector to record the first four digits of
the applicant's driver's license or personal identification card number
and the applicant's initials on the disabled parking placard rather than
the applicant's  
entire driver's license or personal identification number.

Section 2.  Effective Date.

EFFECTIVE DATE

Upon passage, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the act
takes effect September 1, 2003. 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

The original differs from the substitute in that the original repealed
Section 681.0031(b) of the Transportation Code.  The substitute amends
Section 681.0031(b) of the Transportation Code by calling for the county
assessor-collector to record the first four digits of the applicant's
driver's license or personal identification card number and the
applicant's initials on the disabled parking placard, rather than the
entire driver's license or personal identification card number of the
applicant.