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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a defense to prosecution and the dismissal of a charge |
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for the criminal offense of driving with an expired license. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 521.025(d), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(d) It is a defense to prosecution under this section that |
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[if] the person charged produces in court a driver's license: |
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(1) issued to that person; |
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(2) appropriate for the type of vehicle operated; and |
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(3) that was either: |
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(A) valid on the date [at the time] of the arrest |
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for the offense; or |
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(B) expired for not more than 60 days before the |
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date of the arrest for the offense if the person also produces in |
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court confirmation that the person had scheduled before the date of |
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the arrest for the offense an appointment to renew the license |
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described by this paragraph. |
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SECTION 2. Section 521.026(a), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) A judge may dismiss a charge of driving with an expired |
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license if the defendant remedies this defect within 60 [20] |
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working days or before the defendant's first court appearance date, |
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whichever is later. |
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SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is |
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governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, |
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and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For |
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purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the |
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effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred |
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before that date. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |