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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to issuance and renewal of a driver's license of an elderly |
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person. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as "Katie's Law." |
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SECTION 2. Section 521.271, Transportation Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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Sec. 521.271. LICENSE EXPIRATION. (a) Each original |
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driver's license and provisional license expires as follows: |
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(1) except as provided by Section 521.2711, a driver's |
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license expires on the first birthday of the license holder |
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occurring after the sixth anniversary of the date of the |
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application; |
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(2) a provisional license expires on the earlier of: |
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(A) the 18th birthday of the license holder; or |
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(B) the first birthday of the license holder |
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occurring after the date of the application; |
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(3) an instruction permit expires on the second |
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birthday of the license holder occurring after the date of the |
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application; and |
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(4) an occupational license expires on the first |
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anniversary of the court order granting the license. |
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(b) Except as provided by Section 521.2711, a [A] driver's |
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license that is renewed expires on the sixth anniversary of the |
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expiration date before renewal. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter M, Chapter 521, Transportation Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 521.2711 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 521.2711. LICENSE EXPIRATION: PERSON AT LEAST 90 YEARS |
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OF AGE. (a) A driver's license expires on the license holder's 90th |
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birthday. |
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(b) An original driver's license of a person older than 90 |
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years of age expires on the second anniversary of the date of |
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issuance. |
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(c) A driver's license of a person older than 90 years of age |
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that is renewed expires on the second anniversary of the expiration |
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date before renewal. |
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SECTION 4. Subchapter M, Chapter 521, Transportation Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 521.2712 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 521.2712. OFFICES. A person required to renew a |
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driver's license under Section 521.2711 must be given priority in |
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line at a department office when renewing the license. |
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SECTION 5. Section 521.273, Transportation Code, is amended |
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by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows: |
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(c) The department may not renew a driver's license of a |
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person who on the license's expiration date before renewal is at |
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least 90 years of age unless the person passes an examination for |
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the renewal. The examination must include a screening of the |
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person's vision. |
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SECTION 6. Section 521.274(b), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(b) A rule adopted under this section: |
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(1) may prescribe eligibility standards for renewal |
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under this section; [and] |
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(2) may not permit a person subject to the |
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registration requirements under Chapter 62, Code of Criminal |
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Procedure, to register by mail or electronic means; and |
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(3) may not permit renewal by mail or electronic means |
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of a driver's license of a person who on the license's expiration |
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date before renewal is at least 90 years of age. |
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SECTION 7. Section 521.421, Transportation Code, is amended |
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by adding Subsection (i) to read as follows: |
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(i) The department shall prorate the fee for the issuance or |
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renewal of a driver's license of a person who on the license's |
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expiration date before renewal is at least 85 years of age to |
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account for the expiration of the license on the person's 90th |
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birthday. The fee for issuance or renewal of a driver's license of |
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a person who is at least 90 years of age on the date of issuance or |
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the expiration date before renewal, as applicable, is $8 for a |
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license with an expiration date established under Section |
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521.2711(b) or (c). |
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SECTION 8. Section 522.029, Transportation Code, is amended |
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by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (j) to read as |
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follows: |
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(a) The fee for a commercial driver's license or commercial |
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driver learner's permit issued by the department is $60, except as |
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provided by Subsections (f), [and] (h), and (j). |
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(j) The fee for issuance or renewal of a commercial driver's |
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license or commercial driver learner's permit is $25 for a license |
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with an expiration date established under Section 522.054. |
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SECTION 9. Sections 522.051(a), (b), (c), and (d), |
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Transportation Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) Except as provided by Sections [Section] 522.033 and |
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522.054, an original commercial driver's license or commercial |
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driver learner's permit expires five years after the applicant's |
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next birthday. |
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(b) Except as provided by Section 522.054, a [A] commercial |
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driver's license or commercial driver learner's permit issued to a |
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person holding a Texas Class A, B, C, or M license that would expire |
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one year or more after the date of issuance of the commercial |
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driver's license or commercial driver learner's permit expires five |
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years after the applicant's next birthday. |
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(c) Except as provided by Section 522.054, a [A] commercial |
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driver's license or commercial driver learner's permit issued to a |
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person holding a Texas Class A, B, C, or M license that would expire |
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less than one year after the date of issuance of the commercial |
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driver's license or commercial driver learner's permit or that has |
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been expired for less than one year expires five years after the |
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expiration date shown on the Class A, B, C, or M license. |
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(d) Except as provided by Section 522.054, a [A] commercial |
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driver's license or commercial driver learner's permit issued to a |
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person holding a Texas Class A, B, C, or M license that has been |
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expired for at least one year but not more than two years expires |
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five years after the applicant's last birthday. |
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SECTION 10. Sections 522.052(b), (c), and (g), |
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Transportation Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(b) Except as provided by Section 522.054, a [A] renewal of |
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a commercial driver's license that has been expired for less than |
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one year expires five years after the expiration date shown on the |
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commercial driver's license. |
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(c) Except as provided by Section 522.054, a [A] renewal of |
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a commercial driver's license that has been expired for at least one |
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year but not more than two years expires six years after the |
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applicant's last birthday. |
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(g) A commercial driver's license issued under Section |
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522.033 or to which Section 522.054 applies may not be renewed |
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before the 60th day preceding the expiration date. |
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SECTION 11. Subchapter E, Chapter 522, Transportation Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 522.054 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 522.054. LICENSE EXPIRATION: PERSON AT LEAST 90 YEARS |
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OF AGE. (a) Each original commercial driver's license and |
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commercial driver learner's permit of a person 90 years of age or |
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older expires on the license holder's second birthday after the |
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date of the license application. |
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(b) A commercial driver's license of a person 90 years of |
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age or older that is renewed expires on the second anniversary of |
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the expiration date before renewal. |
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SECTION 12. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to a driver's license, commercial driver's license, or commercial |
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driver learner's permit issued or renewed on or after the effective |
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date of this Act. |
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SECTION 13. (a) As soon as possible after the effective |
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date of this section, the Department of Public Safety shall conduct |
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a study to determine the most efficient method of implementing the |
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requirements of this Act. |
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(b) This section takes effect immediately if this Act |
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receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each |
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house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. |
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If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate |
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effect, this section takes effect September 1, 2007. |
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SECTION 14. Except as otherwise provided by this Act, this |
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Act takes effect January 1, 2008. |