Honorable Robert Nichols, Chair, Senate Committee on Transportation
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB1187 by West (Relating to the offense of operating a motor vehicle without financial responsibility.), As Introduced
The fiscal implications of the bill cannot be determined at this time. It is unknown to what extent officers are unable to verify financial responsibility for drivers issued citations for no insurance, nor is the number of those affected drivers that would subsequently provide proof of insurance for the time the offense occurred.
The bill would amend the Transportation Code to require that a citation for no insurance include a confirmation that the officer was unable, at the time of the offense, to verify financial responsibility. The bill would make other changes relating to issuance of a citation and verification of financial responsibility. The bill would also amend statute to prohibit the Department of Public Safety (DPS) from assessing a surcharge under the Driver Responsibility Program (DRP) for no insurance if the affected driver provides proof that they had insurance at the time the offense occurred. The bill would apply to any surcharges pending, regardless of when the surcharge was assessed.
Because the number of drivers cited for no insurance for which an officer cannot verify financial responsibility at the time of the offense, and among these drivers, the number that can provide proof of insurance at the time the offense occurred is unknown, the fiscal effect of this bill on DRP surcharge collections cannot be determined.
DPS indicates that the bill if enacted would require programming changes to the Driver License System and changes to the citation books used by DPS troopers. It is assumed that any additional costs associated with these changes can be absorbed within existing agency resources.
The bill would take effect on September 1, 2017.
Local Government Impact
According to the San Antonio Police Department, no fiscal impact is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 405 Department of Public Safety