AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

The population of Texas has rapidly increased over the past two decades and many of the driver's license offices that were opened in the 1980s have not kept pace with the needs of the public.  There is a need to make the driver's license system more efficient, operational, and customer service friendly.  Even with improvements in technology and the opening of mega-centers, there is still a need in both rural and urban areas to improve public access to driver's license offices.

 

S.B. 1016 provides the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas the means to designate license deputies to assist in certain driver's license functions. 

 

As proposed, S.B. 1016 amends current law relating to the provision of driver's license and personal identification certificate services by license deputies.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas in SECTION 1 (Section 521.503, Transportation Code) of this bill.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1.  Amends Chapter 521, Transportation Code, by adding Subchapter T, as follows:

 

SUBCHAPTER T. LICENSE DEPUTIES

 

Sec. 521.501.  AUTHORIZATION OF LICENSE DEPUTIES.  (a) Requires the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas (DPS) to appoint employees of a county assessor-collector as license deputies and authorizes DPS to appoint employees of other public or private entities as license deputies under contract with the entities.

 

(b) Prohibits a license deputy from issuing a driver's license or personal identification certificate but is authorized to take photographs, receive and transmit applications, collect fees, and perform other basic ministerial functions necessary to issue licenses or certificates.

 

(c) Prohibits a license deputy from administering an examination for driver's license applicants under Subchapter H (Education and Examination Requirements).

 

(d) Prohibits a license deputy from assisting in the registration of voters unless the deputy is otherwise authorized under the Election Code.

 

Sec. 521.502.  RECORDS AND REPORTS.  Requires a license deputy to:

 

(1) complete and keep for the use of DPS a record of each transaction performed by the license deputy;

 

(2) keep a record of each application received by the license deputy;

 

(3) send to DPS a monthly report containing the information described by Subdivisions (1) and (2) on a form and in the manner prescribed by DPS; and

 

(4) furnish any other information or material required by DPS.

 

Sec. 521.503.  POINT-OF-SALE SYSTEM.  (a) Authorizes DFPS to designate an entity to install a point-of-sale system for the collection of fees by license deputies.  Authorizes a designated entity to collect revenue for DPS from license deputies.

 

(b) Authorizes DPS by rule to set the amount of compensation for a point-of-sale entity.  Prohibits the amount of compensation per transaction from exceeding five percent of the amount of the fee collected by the entity.

 

(c) Provides that Sections 521.425 (Remittance of Fees and Charges) and 521.427 (Disposition of Fees) do not apply to compensation authorized by this section.

 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 2013.