BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2025

By: Thompson, Ed

House Administration

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Concerns have been raised regarding the driver's license program in Texas, specifically with regard to long wait times and frustrating experiences with the program that reportedly occur across most Texas communities. C.S.H.B. 2025 seeks to address these concerns by providing for a joint oversight committee for the legislative review of matters regarding the issuance of driver's licenses and certain other forms of identification and matters regarding the registration of voters during the issuance or renewal of licenses and personal identification certificates.

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. 2025 amends the Transportation Code to establish the eight-member legislative Joint Oversight Committee on Issuance of Driver's Licenses and Other Forms of Identification to review the administration and implementation of the following duties of the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS):

· the issuance of driver's licenses;

· the issuance of personal identification certificates;

· the issuance of election identification certificates; and

· the registration of voters during the issuance or renewal of a driver's license or personal identification certificate.

C.S.H.B. 2025 requires the committee to review plans and receive updates from state and local governmental entities involved with the administration of those DPS duties. The bill sets out provisions relating to the committee's composition and chair, to initial member appointments, and to the filling of vacancies.

C.S.H.B. 2025 requires the committee to provide a biennial written report to the legislature and sets out the required components of the report. The bill grants to the committee the powers and duties of a joint committee created by proclamation and authorizes the committee to obtain funding in the same manner as such a joint committee.

C.S.H.B. 2025 makes the rules adopted by the 86th Legislature for the administration of those joint committees applicable to the committee to the extent the rules are consistent with the bill's provisions. The committee is abolished and the bill's provisions expire on September 1, 2029.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2019.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 2025 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

The substitute changes the name of the committee and revises the bill provision setting out the applicable DPS duties.

The substitute changes the frequency with which the committee chair alternates and the written report is submitted to the legislature.

The substitute revises the required contents of the written report and the deadline for initial committee appointments.