BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

S.B. 1292

By: Hegar

Homeland Security & Public Safety

Committee Report (Unamended)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

Under current law, a law enforcement officer must provide the Department of Public Safety with his or her home address when applying for a driver's license.  This requirement can be problematic if someone wishing to do harm to the officer, the officer's home, or the officer's family, requests to see an officer's license.  S.B. 1292 allows law enforcement officers to provide an alternative address to further ensure their personal safety. 

As proposed, S.B. 1292 amends current law relating to the issuance of a driver's license to a peace officer that includes an alternative to the officer's residence address.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Department of Public Safety in SECTION 1 of this bill.

 

ANALYSIS

 

S.B. 1292 amends Subchapter F, Chapter 521, Transportation Code, by adding Section 521.1211. The bill defines, in this section, "peace officer." The bill requires the Department of Public Safety (DPS), notwithstanding Section 521.121(a) (requiring that the driver's license include certain information), by rule to adopt procedures for the issuance of a driver's license to a peace officer that omits the license holder's actual residence address and includes, as an alternative, an address that is in the municipality or county of the peace officer's residence and is acceptable to DPS.

S.B. 1292  requires a peace officer, to be issued a driver's license under this section, to apply to DPS and provide sufficient evidence accept to DPS to establish the applicant's status as a peace officer.  Requires the license holder, on issuance of the license, to surrender any other driver's license issued to the holder by DPS. The bill also requires the license holder, if the holder of a driver's license that includes an alternative address moves to a new residence or if the name of the person is changed by marriage or otherwise, not later than the 30th day after the date of the address or name change, to notify DPS and provide DPS with the number of the person's driver's license and, as applicable, the person's former and new addresses, or former and new names.

S.B. 1292  requires the license holder, if the holder of a driver's license that includes an alternative address ceases to be a peace officer, not later than the 30th day after the date of the status change, to apply to DPS for issuance of a duplicate license.  Requires that the duplicate license include the  person's actual current residence address.

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

September 1, 2011.