BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 31

By: Guillen

Homeland Security & Public Safety

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The Department of Public Safety currently suspends the provisional driver's license issued to a person under 18 years of age who has been convicted of two or more moving violations committed within a 12-month period.  The period of driver's license suspension for a person who does not request a hearing on the matter is 90 days. Interested parties note that extending the license suspension would help keep young drivers safe.  C.S.H.B. 31 seeks to address that issue by making statutory changes relating to the suspension of the driver's licenses of certain persons younger than 18 years of age.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 31 amends the Transportation Code to extend from 90 days to 180 days the period of driver's license suspension for a person whose license is suspended by the Department of Public Safety (DPS) if the following circumstances exist:  DPS determines that the person is the holder of a provisional license issued to a person younger than 18 years of age who has been convicted of two or more moving violations committed within a 12-month period, the person does not request a hearing, and the moving violation is a third or subsequent moving violation.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2011.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 31 omits a provision included in the original relating to the requirement that the Department of Public Safety (DPS) suspend a person's driver's license if DPS makes a certain determination regarding specified vehicle or traffic-related violations. The substitute differs from the original by extending from 90 days to 180 days the period of driver's license suspension for a person who DPS determines is the holder of a provisional license issued to a person younger than 18 years of age who has been convicted of two or more moving violations committed within a 12-month period and who does not request a hearing, if the moving violation is a third or subsequent moving violation, whereas the original extends from 90 days to 180 days the license suspension period for a person whose license is suspended by DPS following a DPS determination regarding specified vehicle or traffic-related violations and who does not request a hearing.