BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 647
89R18094 MZM-D	By: Patterson et al. (Hagenbuch)
	Transportation
	5/7/2025
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

H.B. 647 amends Section 521.221 of the Transportation Code to add a subsection to allow licensed physicians to send an electronic or physical written statement to DPS that certifies the surgical correction of a patient's vision, stating the patient no longer requires corrective lenses in order to operate a motor vehicle. Additionally, the committee substitute to H.B. 647 requires DPS to establish a system for receiving physician statements, vetting the statements and supplying the driver with a new driver's license without the corrective lens restriction upon certification of the statement, at a small fee to the driver. Further, the committee substitute in front of you would allow an optometrist to submit the same statement as a licensed physician confirming that a driver has had a corrective eye surgery.

H.B. 647 amends current law relating to the removal of certain restrictions imposed on driver's licenses and authorizes a fee.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 521.221, Transportation Code, by adding Subsection (e), as follows:

(e) Provides that the Department of Public Safety (DPS) is:

(1) required to remove a restriction that requires the license holder to wear corrective lenses for vision and mail to the license holder a new driver's license that does not include the restriction if the license holder submits to DPS a written statement from a licensed physician or optometrist verifying that the license holder's vision has been surgically corrected and the license holder no longer requires corrective lenses for vision and the required fee;

(2) required to establish a process by which a person is authorized to submit to DPS electronically or by mail the form and fee described by Subdivision (1); and

(3) prohibited from mailing a new driver's license under this subsection to a person whose driver's license record indicates that the person is subject to the registration requirements of Chapter 62, Code of Criminal Procedure.

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2025.