By: Carona S.B. No. 1783
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the use of an offender identification card or similar
form of identification as proof of identity for an applicant for a
driver's license or commercial driver's license.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subsection (a), Section 521.142, Transportation
Code, is amended to read as follows:
(a) An application for an original license must state the
applicant's full name and place and date of birth. This information
must be verified by presentation of proof of identity satisfactory
to the department. The department must accept as satisfactory
proof of identity under this subsection an offender identification
card or similar form of identification issued to an inmate by the
Texas Department of Criminal Justice if the applicant also provides
supplemental verifiable records or documents that aid in
establishing identity.
SECTION 2. Subchapter G, Chapter 521, Transportation Code,
is amended by adding Section 521.1421 to read as follows:
Sec. 521.1421. INMATE IDENTIFICATION VERIFICATION PILOT
PROGRAM. (a) The department shall participate in an inmate
identification verification pilot program for the purpose of
issuing driver's licenses and personal identification certificates
to inmates of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
(b) Under the pilot program, the department may:
(1) enter into a contract with the Texas Department of
Criminal Justice and the Department of State Health Services to
establish an identification verification process for inmates of the
Texas Department of Criminal Justice; and
(2) issue a driver's license or a personal
identification certificate to an inmate whose identity has been
confirmed through the verification process and who otherwise meets
the requirements for the issuance of the driver's license or
personal identification certificate.
(c) At the conclusion of the pilot program the governing
bodies of the participating agencies may agree to continue the
pilot program on a permanent basis.
(d) Not later than December 1, 2010, the department and the
Texas Department of Criminal Justice shall jointly issue a report
to the standing committees of the legislature with jurisdiction
over issues related to criminal justice and homeland security
addressing:
(1) the status of the pilot program;
(2) the effectiveness of the pilot program; and
(3) an analysis of the feasibility of implementing a
statewide program based on the pilot program.
SECTION 3. Subsection (c-1), Section 522.021,
Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows:
(c-1) If the department requires proof of an applicant's
identity as part of an application under this section, the
department must accept as satisfactory proof of identity an
offender identification card or similar form of identification
issued to an inmate by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice if
the applicant also provides supplemental verifiable records or
documents that aid in establishing identity.
SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
an application for a driver's license, commercial driver's license,
or personal identification certificate submitted on or after the
effective date of this Act. An application for a driver's license,
commercial driver's license, or personal identification
certificate submitted before the effective date of this Act is
subject to the law in effect on the date the application was
submitted, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.