| TO: | Honorable Mike Krusee, Chair, House Committee on Transportation |
| FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB3640 by Turner (Relating to the collection of surcharges assessed under the driver responsibility program.), As Introduced |
The bill would implement recommendations 2 and 4 in the Legislative Budget Board’s State Government Effectiveness and Efficiency Report submitted to the 80th Legislature. These recommendations are in the report “Increase Driver Responsibility Program Collections and Offender Compliance.”
This bill would amend Chapter 708 of the Transportation Code, relating to the collection of surcharges assessed under the driver responsibility program. The bill would allow the Department of Public Safety to establish a new installment plan on different terms if a person fails to make a required installment payment. The bill would also authorize the Department of Public Safety to establish a periodic amnesty program for holders of a driver’s license on which a surcharge has been assessed for certain offenses, and would further permit the Department of Public Safety to reduce a surcharge or the length of an installment plan when surcharged drivers have otherwise complied with the law or sought rehabilitation.
The bill would take effect September 1, 2007.
The modifications to available collection methods in this bill could result in a revenue gain for currently uncollected surcharges. However, due to uncertainties in the data related to individuals with a history of prior noncompliance, this revenue gain cannot be estimated at this time.
The Department of Public Safety (DPS) estimates a cost of $225,000 for driver license system modifications, which DPS estimates it will be unable to complete until January 1, 2008. It is assumed that DPS could absorb these costs within the agency's current appropriations and therefore would not result in a significant fiscal impact to the state.
| Source Agencies: | 405 Department of Public Safety
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| LBB Staff: | JOB, KJG, JI, HC
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