| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to a fee exemption for trafficking victims for certain |
|
|
personal identification documents. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 191, Health and Safety |
|
|
Code, is amended by adding Section 191.0049 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 191.0049. BIRTH RECORD ISSUED TO TRAFFICKING VICTIM. |
|
|
(a) In this section, "trafficking victim" has the meaning assigned |
|
|
by Section 521.4265, Transportation Code. |
|
|
(b) On request of a person who is a trafficking victim, the |
|
|
state registrar, a local registrar, or a county clerk shall issue |
|
|
without fee a certified copy of the person's birth record. |
|
|
(c) The state registrar, a local registrar, or a county |
|
|
clerk may require a person to provide only the documentation |
|
|
prescribed by a rule adopted by the Department of Public Safety |
|
|
under Section 521.4265(c), Transportation Code, to confirm a |
|
|
person's status as a trafficking victim. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Subchapter R, Chapter 521, Transportation Code, |
|
|
is amended by adding Section 521.4265 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 521.4265. EXEMPTION FOR TRAFFICKING VICTIMS. (a) In |
|
|
this section, "trafficking victim" means a victim of trafficking of |
|
|
persons under Chapter 20A, Penal Code. |
|
|
(b) A person who is a trafficking victim is exempt from the |
|
|
payment of fees under this chapter for the issuance of a driver's |
|
|
license or personal identification certificate. |
|
|
(c) The department shall adopt rules to implement this |
|
|
section, including rules prescribing any documentation necessary |
|
|
to confirm a person's status as a trafficking victim. |
|
|
(d) For each exemption granted under this section, the |
|
|
department shall deposit to the credit of the Texas mobility fund an |
|
|
amount from the identification fee exemption account under |
|
|
Subsection (e) that is equal to the amount of the waived fee that |
|
|
would otherwise be deposited to the mobility fund. |
|
|
(e) The identification fee exemption account is created as |
|
|
an account in the general revenue fund of the state treasury. The |
|
|
fund consists of grants and donations made to the department for the |
|
|
purposes of this section. The department shall administer the |
|
|
account. Money in the account may be appropriated for the purposes |
|
|
of Subsection (d). |
|
|
(f) The department may not grant an exemption under this |
|
|
section if money is not available in the identification fee |
|
|
exemption account to meet the requirements of Subsection (d). |
|
|
SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply to an |
|
|
application for a birth certificate, driver's license, or personal |
|
|
identification certificate submitted on or after the effective date |
|
|
of this Act. An application for a birth certificate, driver's |
|
|
license, or personal identification certificate submitted before |
|
|
the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on |
|
|
the date the application was submitted, and the former law is |
|
|
continued in effect for that purpose. |
|
|
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |