H.B. No. 3798

AN ACT

relating to making certain voluntary contributions when applying for a driver's license, commercial driver's license, or personal identification certificate.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 521.008, Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 521.008. VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS [CONTRIBUTION TO DONOR REGISTRY]. (a) When a person applies for an original, [or] renewal, corrected, or duplicate driver's license or personal identification certificate under this chapter, the person may contribute $1 or more to the following:

(1) the Glenda Dawson Donate Life-Texas Registry fund created under Section 692A.020, Health and Safety Code, to be used for the purposes of the nonprofit organization administering the Glenda Dawson Donate Life-Texas Registry under Chapter 692A, Health and Safety Code;

(2) the fund for veterans' assistance established under Section 434.017, Government Code;

(3) the evidence testing account established under Section 772.00716, Government Code, to be used for the purposes of the evidence testing grant program established under Section 772.00715, Government Code;

(4) the Blindness Education, Screening, and Treatment Program established under Section 91.027, Human Resources Code; or

(5) the identification fee exemption account established under Section 521.4265.

(b) The department shall:

(1) include space on each application for an original, [a new or] renewal, corrected, or duplicate driver's license or personal identification certificate that allows a person applying for an original, [a new or] renewal, corrected, or duplicate driver's license or personal identification certificate to indicate that the person is voluntarily contributing $1 to the designated fund, account, or program, as applicable [organization]; and

(2) provide an opportunity for the person to contribute $1 to the designated fund, account, or program, as applicable, [organization] during the application process for an original, [a new or] renewal, corrected, or duplicate driver's license or personal identification certificate on the department's Internet website.

(c) The department shall remit any contribution made under this section to the comptroller for deposit to the credit of the designated fund, account, or program, as applicable [Glenda Dawson Donate Life-Texas Registry fund created under Section 692A.020, Health and Safety Code]. Before sending the money to the comptroller, the department may deduct money equal to the amount of reasonable expenses for administering this section, not to exceed five percent of the money collected under this section.

(d) The organization described by Subsection (a)(1) shall submit an annual report to the director of the department that includes the total dollar amount of contributions received by the organization under this section.

SECTION 2. Section 521.4265(a), Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) 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, including donations received under Sections 521.008 [521.421(k)] and 522.0295 [521.422(d)]. The department shall administer the account. Money in the account may be appropriated for the purposes of Subsection (b).

SECTION 3. Section 521.427(b), Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows:

(b) Subsection (a) does not apply to[:

[(1)] the portion of a fee collected under Section 521.421(b) or Section 521.421(f)[, as added by Chapter 1156, Acts of the 75th Legislature, Regular Session, 1997,] that is required by Section 662.011 to be deposited to the credit of the motorcycle education fund account[;

[(2) a fee collected under Section 521.421(j); or

[(3) a fee collected under Section 521.422(b) or (c)].

SECTION 4. Section 522.0295, Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 522.0295. VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS [CONTRIBUTION FOR EVIDENCE TESTING GRANT PROGRAM]. (a) When a person applies for an original, renewal, corrected, or duplicate commercial driver's license under this chapter, the person may contribute $1 or more to the following:

(1) the Glenda Dawson Donate Life-Texas Registry fund created under Section 692A.020, Health and Safety Code, to be used for the purposes of the nonprofit organization administering the Glenda Dawson Donate Life-Texas Registry under Chapter 692A, Health and Safety Code;

(2) the fund for veterans' assistance established under Section 434.017, Government Code;

(3) the evidence testing account established under Section 772.00716, Government Code, to be used for the purposes of the evidence testing grant program established under Section 772.00715, Government Code;

(4) the Blindness Education, Screening, and Treatment Program established under Section 91.027, Human Resources Code; or

(5) the identification fee exemption account established under Section 521.4265.

(b) The department shall:

(1) include space on the first page of each application for an original, renewal, corrected, or duplicate commercial driver's license that allows a person applying for an original, renewal, corrected, or duplicate commercial driver's license to indicate the amount that the person is voluntarily contributing to the designated fund, account, or program, as applicable [grant program]; and

(2) provide an opportunity for the person to contribute to the designated fund, account, or program, as applicable, [grant program] during the application process for an original, renewal, corrected, or duplicate commercial driver's license on the department's Internet website.

(c) The department shall remit [send] any contribution made under this section to the comptroller for deposit to the credit of the designated fund, account, or program, as applicable [evidence testing account established under Section 772.00716, Government Code], not later than the 14th day of each month. Before sending the money to the comptroller, the department may deduct money equal to the amount of reasonable expenses for administering this section, not to exceed five percent of the money collected under this section.

(d) The organization described by Subsection (a)(1) shall submit an annual report to the director of the department that includes the total dollar amount of contributions received by the organization under this section.

SECTION 5. Section 434.017(a), Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) The fund for veterans' assistance is a special fund in the state treasury outside the general revenue fund. The fund is composed of:

(1) money transferred to the fund at the direction of the legislature;

(2) gifts and grants contributed to the fund;

(3) the earnings of the fund;

(4) money transferred to the fund from proceeds of the lottery game operated under Section 466.027 or transferred to the fund under Section 466.408(b);

(5) money deposited to the credit of the fund under Section 502.1746, Transportation Code;

(6) money deposited to the credit of the fund under Sections 521.008 and 522.0295 [Section 521.010], Transportation Code;

(7) money deposited to the credit of the fund under Section 12.007, Parks and Wildlife Code; and

(8) money deposited to the credit of the fund under Section 411.1741.

SECTION 6. Section 692A.020(i), Health and Safety Code, is amended to read as follows:

(i) The Glenda Dawson Donate Life-Texas Registry fund is created as a trust fund outside the state treasury to be held by the comptroller and administered by the Department of Public Safety as trustee on behalf of the statewide donor registry maintained for the benefit of the citizens of this state. The fund is composed of money deposited to the credit of the fund under Sections 502.405(b), 521.008, and 522.0295 [521.422(c)], Transportation Code, as provided by those sections [subsections]. Money in the fund shall be disbursed at least monthly, without appropriation, to the nonprofit organization administering the registry to pay the costs of:

(1) maintaining, operating, and updating the Internet-based registry and establishing procedures for an individual to be added to the registry;

(2) designing and distributing educational materials for prospective donors as required under this section; and

(3) providing education under this chapter.

SECTION 7. Section 91.027(a), Human Resources Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) To the extent that funds are available under Sections 521.008 and 522.0295 [521.421(j) and 521.422(b)], Transportation Code, the department shall operate a Blindness Education, Screening, and Treatment Program to provide:

(1) blindness prevention education and screening and treatment to prevent blindness for residents who are not covered under an adequate health benefit plan; and

(2) transition services to individuals with visual disabilities eligible for vocational rehabilitation services [under Section 117.102].

SECTION 8. The following provisions of the Transportation Code are repealed:

(1) Section 521.010;

(2) Section 521.012;

(3) Sections 521.421(j) and (k);

(4) Sections 521.422(b), (c), and (d); and

(5) Section 522.152.

SECTION 9. To the extent of any conflict, this Act prevails over another Act of the 88th Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted codes.

SECTION 10. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.

______________________________ ______________________________

President of the Senate Speaker of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 3798 was passed by the House on May 2, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 139, Nays 5, 3 present, not voting.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 3798 was passed by the Senate on May 21, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

______________________________ Secretary of the Senate APPROVED: _____________________

Date

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Governor