BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 1814

By: Farney

Transportation

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties note that, although current law authorizes the online renewal of a Texas driver's license under certain conditions, a military service member on active duty outside of the United States may not be able to renew online if the service member has renewed online previously or has been stationed outside of the United States for longer than two years. The parties further note that these limitations present difficulty for active duty members of the military and that the same difficulty may be encountered by the family of such a service member. C.S.H.B. 1814 seeks to amend the applicable law to ensure that military personnel serving our country outside of the United States and members of their family will continue to be able to have a valid driver's license.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

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. 1814 amends the Transportation Code to require a rule adopted by the Department of Public Safety authorizing the renewal of a driver's license by electronic means to allow for the renewal of a driver's license of a person who is on active duty in the U.S. armed forces and is absent from Texas and the spouse or dependent child of the person on active duty, regardless of when the license expires.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2015.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 1814 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and formatted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

INTRODUCED	HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
SECTION 1.  Section 521.274(b), Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows: (b)  A rule adopted under this section: (1)  may prescribe eligibility standards for renewal under this section; (2)  may not permit a person subject to the registration requirements under Chapter 62, Code of Criminal Procedure, to register by mail or electronic means; [and] (3)  may not permit renewal by mail or electronic means of a driver's license of a person who is 79 years of age or older; and (4)  must allow for the renewal of a driver's license by electronic means, regardless of when the license expires, of a person who: (A)  is on active duty in the armed forces of the United States; and (B)  is absent from the state.	SECTION 1.  Section 521.274(b), Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows: (b)  A rule adopted under this section: (1)  may prescribe eligibility standards for renewal under this section; (2)  may not permit a person subject to the registration requirements under Chapter 62, Code of Criminal Procedure, to register by mail or electronic means; [and] (3)  may not permit renewal by mail or electronic means of a driver's license of a person who is 79 years of age or older; and (4)  must allow for the renewal of a driver's license by electronic means, regardless of when the license expires, of: (A)  a person who: (i)  is on active duty in the armed forces of the United States; and (ii)  is absent from the state; and (B)  the spouse or dependent child of a person described by Paragraph (A).
SECTION 2.  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, 2015.	SECTION 2. Same as introduced version.