Honorable Tommy Merritt, Chair, House Committee on Public Safety
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB2077 by Burnam (Relating to driver's licenses, commercial driver's licenses, and personal identification certificates; providing a penalty. ), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend the Transportation Code to define a resident of Texas as a person who has maintained residency in the state for at least 60 days at the time of application for a driver's license or personal identification certificate.In addition, the bill would make it a Class A misdemeanor to fail to comply with subsections (b) and (c) of Section 521.054, Notice of Change of Address or Name.The bill would allow the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to establish a process to verify an applicant's residence.The bill contains provisions related to the uniformity of appearance of driver's licenses, commercial driver's licenses, and personal identification certificates.The bill would take effect September 1, 2009.
This analysis assumes that the costs associated with implementing the provisions of the bill could be reasonably absorbed within DPS' current resources.
Local Government Impact
Punishment for a Class A misdemeanor is a fine not to exceed $4,000, confinement in jail for a term not to exceed one year, or both. It is anticipated that any costs associated with enforcement, prosecution, or jail confinement could be absorbed within existing resources. However, costs of confinement would vary by county jail and depending on the length of jail time imposed. Revenue gain from fines would vary and depend on the amount imposed.
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.