| TO: | Honorable John Carona, Chair, Senate Committee on Transportation & Homeland Security |
| FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | SB1260 by Seliger (Relating to the issuance of a nonresident commercial driver's license.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted |
The bill would amend the Transportation Code allowing the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) to issue a temporary nonresident commercial driver license to an individual applying for a nonresident commercial driver's license that does not present a social security card, but otherwise meets the requirements for a non resident commercial driver's license. Licenses issued under the provisions of the bill would be required to have "nonresident" printed on the face of a provisional nonresident commercial driver's license issued under this section. At present a person is required to present a social security card when submitting an application for a commercial driver's license. The bill would allow an individual submitting an application for a nonresident commercial driver's license to present a passport and a visa in lieu of a social security card. Under the provisions of the bill, a provisional nonresident commercial driver's license would expire on the 60th day after the date the license is issued, on the date the person’s visa expires, or on the date the person’s I-94 arrival/departure record expires which ever is earlier and may not be renewed. DPS would not be allowed to issue more than one provisional nonresident commercial driver's license to a person. The bill would also allow DPS to collect a $120 fee for a nonresident commercial driver license and a $20 fee for a provisional nonresident commercial driver license. The bill would also provide an exception to the current length of time for which a provisional commercial driver's license is valid. A permit for a temporary nonresident commercial driver license would expire on the date their visa or I-94 arrival/departure record expires. The bill would take effect September 1, 2007 and apply only to a nonresident commercial driver's license for which an original or renewal application is filed on or after the effective date.
The bill would allow DPS to collect a $120 fee for a nonresident commercial driver license and a $20 fee for a provisional nonresident commercial driver license. Although the statute governing the nonresident commercial driver's license has been effective since 1995, DPS reports to date it has not received an application for a nonresident commercial driver's license. Revenue generated as a result of the nonresidential commercial driver's license and provisional nonresident commercial driver's license can not be determined. Any revenue generated would depend on the number of applications DPS receives for a nonresident commercial driver's license or a provisional nonresident commercial driver's license.
DPS reports a one-time technology cost of $188,400 to cover programming changes to the Driver License System. DPS reports it would be unable to implement the modifications necessary to comply with the provision of the bill until the Driver License Reengineering Project is completed in November 2007.
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
| Source Agencies: | 405 Department of Public Safety
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| LBB Staff: | JOB, KJG, GG, LG, LM
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