BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2931

By: Parker

Homeland Security & Public Safety

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It has been suggested that the lines and wait times that many Texans are facing at Department of Public Safety (DPS) driver's license offices across the state are too long and burdensome. It has been noted that, while contracted third parties may administer driving tests to qualified individuals, these parties may not issue a license, as the individual is required to return to a DPS office to be issued the license. C.S.H.B. 2931 seeks to end the cumbersome and inefficient model under which DPS currently operates by revising provisions relating to the issuance of a driver's license by an entity other than DPS.

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 rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Department of Public Safety in SECTION 2 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2931 amends the Transportation Code to replace the authorization for the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to authorize certain employers, government agencies, and other appropriate organizations to administer the required examination for driver's license applicants with an authorization for DPS to authorize and set standards for such an entity to administer, and train and certify examiners to administer, the examination.

C.S.H.B. 2931 authorizes DPS to authorize such an entity to issue a temporary receipt to a qualifying applicant who has met all requirements for a driver's license if the qualifying applicant holds a learner license issued by DPS. The bill prohibits the entity from issuing a temporary receipt to a person who has not completed and passed the driver's training and testing conducted by the entity and establishes that the temporary receipt serves as temporary permission to operate a vehicle until DPS provides a driver's license to the qualifying applicant. The bill requires DPS to develop a process for such an entity to electronically transmit to DPS the documents and information required by DPS for the issuance of a driver's license to a qualifying applicant. The bill requires DPS to adopt rules to implement these provisions.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 2931 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 includes provisions relating to the issuance of temporary receipts by an applicable entity to a qualifying driver's license applicant who has met certain conditions. The substitute does not include an authorization for DPS to authorize such an applicable entity to issue a driver's license to such a person.

The substitute replaces the authorization for DPS to authorize certain entities to administer the examination with an authorization for DPS to authorize and set standards for such an entity to administer, and train and certify examiners to administer, the examination.