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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the indigent status of a person for purposes of the |
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driver responsibility program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 708.158, Transportation Code, is amended |
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by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (c) to read as |
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follows: |
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(b) A person must provide information to the court in which |
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the person is convicted of the offense that is the basis for the |
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surcharge to establish that the person is indigent. The following |
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documentation may be used as proof: |
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(1) a copy of the person's most recent federal income |
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tax return that shows that the person's income or the person's |
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household income does not exceed 125 percent of the applicable |
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income level established by the federal poverty guidelines; |
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(2) a copy of the person's most recent statement of |
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wages that shows that the person's income or the person's household |
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income does not exceed 125 percent of the applicable income level |
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established by the federal poverty guidelines; [or] |
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(3) documentation from a federal agency, state agency, |
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or school district that indicates that the person or, if the person |
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is a dependent as defined by Section 152, Internal Revenue Code of |
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1986, the taxpayer claiming the person as a dependent, receives |
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assistance from: |
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(A) the food stamp program or the financial |
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assistance program established under Chapter 31, Human Resources |
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Code; |
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(B) the federal special supplemental nutrition |
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program for women, infants, and children authorized by 42 U.S.C. |
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Section 1786; |
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(C) the medical assistance program under Chapter |
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32, Human Resources Code; |
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(D) the child health plan program under Chapter |
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62, Health and Safety Code; or |
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(E) the national free or reduced-price lunch |
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program established under 42 U.S.C. Section 1751 et seq.; or |
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(4) evidence that the person was represented by |
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appointed counsel at the person's trial. |
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(c) As soon as practicable after the date the court receives |
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information described by Subsection (b) establishing that a person |
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is indigent, the court shall notify the department that the person |
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is indigent for the purposes of this chapter. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |