BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2512

By: Miller, Rick

Elections

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

When a person provides the person's social security number for purposes of obtaining a driver's license, that number can be used in limited ways and disclosed to specified entities designated in the statutes. C.S.H.B. 2512 seeks to add the secretary of state to the entities to which the social security number may be disclosed and to limit the secretary's use of the number to the purposes of voter registration and the administration of elections. 

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. 2512 amends the Transportation Code to include the secretary of state, for the purposes of voter registration or the administration of elections, among the limited entities to which information provided on a driver's license application relating to the applicant's social security number may be disclosed and requires the Department of Public Safety to disclose such information on request of the secretary of state. The bill includes voter registration or the administration of elections by the secretary of state among the matters for which disclosure of personal information obtained by an agency in connection with a motor vehicle record is required. The bill establishes that statutory provisions relating to the permitted disclosure of certain personal information obtained by an agency in connection with a motor vehicle record do not prohibit the disclosure of a person's photographic image to the secretary of state for the purposes of voter registration or the administration of elections.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2013.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 2512 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and highlighted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

INTRODUCED	HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
SECTION 1.  Sections 521.044(a) and (c), Transportation Code, are amended.	SECTION 1. Same as introduced version.
SECTION 2.  Section 521.059, Transportation Code, is amended by adding Subsection (d) to read as follows: (d)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the department shall use the image verification system established under this section to assist the secretary of state in the performance of its official duties regarding voter registration or the administration of elections.	No equivalent provision.
SECTION 3.  Section 730.005, Transportation Code, is amended.	SECTION 2. Same as introduced version.
SECTION 4.  Section 730.007(c), Transportation Code, is amended.	SECTION 3. Same as introduced version.
SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2013.	SECTION 4. Same as introduced version.