BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 1470
89R6422 MLH-D	By: Hughes
	State Affairs
	3/17/2025
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) receives data on Texans who apply for driver's licenses in other states. To apply for a driver's license in another state, the person applying has to be a resident of that state, not Texas. As such, this data provides a ready-made list of people who no longer live in Texas. This data would be useful to the secretary of state (SOS) for maintaining the voter rolls, as it provides ready-made data about people who no longer live in Texas and who should be registered to vote in that other state, not Texas.

This bill requires DPS to share this driver's license data with SOS, and it requires SOS to use this data. This bill will not create an undue burden on DPS because DPS already maintains this data. Further, it will not create an undue burden on SOS because this bill gives SOS ready-made data that can be used to efficiently and cost-effectively maintain the voter rolls. This bill simply sends currently available information from one government department that has the data to another department that needs the data.

As proposed, S.B. 1470 amends current law relating to requiring the Department of Public Safety to share data for the purpose of maintaining the statewide voter registration list.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the secretary of state in SECTION 1 (Section 18.0625) of this bill.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter C, Chapter 18, Election Code, by adding Section 18.0625, as follows:

Sec. 18.0625. USE OF DRIVER'S LICENSE DATA. (a) Requires the secretary of state (SOS), to maintain the statewide voter registration list and to prevent duplication of registration in more than one state or jurisdiction, to use data of registered voters who apply for a driver's license or personal identification card in another state to identify certain voters.

(b) Requires the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), for purposes of implementing this section, to share with SOS any data related to individuals who hold a driver's license or personal identification card in this state and who apply for a driver's license or personal identification card in another state.

(c) Authorizes SOS, in consultation with DPS, to adopt rules and establish procedures for the administration of this section.

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2025.