Texas House Bill HB906

Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Caption

Relating to reports to the legislature on certain administrative hearings regarding the automatic suspension of a person's driver's license.

Impact

The implementation of HB906 is intended to enhance transparency in how administrative hearings regarding driver's license suspensions are conducted across Texas. By requiring regular reports, the bill seeks to hold both the State Office of Administrative Hearings and the Department of Public Safety accountable for their decisions. Stakeholders, including legislators and advocates for driver’s rights, will have access to important metrics that illustrate trends and discrepancies in hearing results across different counties.

Summary

House Bill 906 introduces a requirement for standardized reporting to the Texas legislature regarding administrative hearings related to the automatic suspension of a person's driver's license. The bill mandates that the State Office of Administrative Hearings, along with the Department of Public Safety, provide quarterly reports detailing the outcomes of these hearings. Specifically, the reports must include data on how many cases were decided in favor of the individuals requesting hearings versus those upheld in favor of the department. This data is aimed at providing insight into the fairness and efficacy of the hearings process.

Contention

While the bill may be seen as a step towards improving accountability in public safety matters, it could also raise concerns among certain stakeholders. Critics might argue that focusing on quantitative measures, such as the percentage of favorable outcomes, does not fully encompass the qualitative aspects of justice in administrative hearings. The effectiveness of such reports in truly reforming or informing policy decisions could be contentious, especially if there's a perceived lack of context in the data presented.