BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center                                                                                                          S.B. 89

79R545 DWS-D                                                                                                               By: Averitt

                                                                                              Transportation and Homeland Security

                                                                                                                                                2/14/05

As Filed

AUTHOR'S/SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

The 78th Legislature, Regular Session, adopted S.B. 1445, which specified the individuals who were permitted to access or use the electronically readable information contained on a driver's license.  Election officials were left off the list of individuals allowed to "swipe" a driver's license.  As proposed, S.B. 89 adds election officials to the list of individuals who may access the electronically readable information on a driver's license. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 521.126(d), Transportation Code, as follows:

(d)  Provides that the prohibition described in Subsection (b) (driver's license offenses) does not apply to a person who accesses, uses, complies, or maintains a database of the information for a law enforcement or governmental purpose, including an officer or employee of the Department of Public Safety carrying out, rather than an employee who accesses or uses the information for, law enforcement or government purposes or a person establishing the identity of a voter under Chapter 63 (Accepting Voter), Election Code.  Makes conforming changes.

SECTION 2.  Effective date:  upon passage or September 1, 2005.