Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas House Bill HB68 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	84R77 AJZ-D
2	2	By: Alonzo H.B. No. 68
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the creation of a Texas resident driver's permit,
8	8	provisional Texas resident driver's permit, and Texas resident
9	9	driver's instruction permit; creating an offense.
10	10	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	SECTION 1. Chapter 521, Transportation Code, is amended by
12	12	adding Subchapter K-1 to read as follows:
13	13	SUBCHAPTER K-1. TEXAS RESIDENT DRIVER'S PERMIT
14	14	Sec. 521.231. ELIGIBILITY. The department may issue a
15	15	Texas resident driver's permit to a person who:
16	16	(1) as of the date the permit is issued, has resided in
17	17	this state for at least one year;
18	18	(2) is ineligible to obtain a social security number;
19	19	(3) is unable to present to the department
20	20	documentation issued by the United States agency responsible for
21	21	citizenship and immigration authorizing the person to be in the
22	22	United States; and
23	23	(4) has not been finally convicted of a Class B
24	24	misdemeanor, a Class A misdemeanor, or a felony offense.
25	25	Sec. 521.232. TEXAS RESIDENT DRIVER'S PERMIT REQUIREMENTS.
26	26	(a) A Texas resident driver's permit issued under this subchapter
27	27	is not valid as proof of the permit holder's identity for a federal
28	28	purpose.
29	29	(b) The department shall:
30	30	(1) designate and clearly mark as a Texas resident
31	31	driver's permit each permit issued under this subchapter;
32	32	(2) designate and clearly mark as a provisional Texas
33	33	resident driver's permit each permit issued under this subchapter
34	34	to a person who is at least 16 years of age but younger than 18 years
35	35	of age; and
36	36	(3) include on a permit issued under this subchapter
37	37	an indication that the permit is not valid proof of identity for a
38	38	federal purpose.
39	39	(c) Except as otherwise provided by this chapter, a person
40	40	who holds a Texas resident driver's permit is subject to the laws of
41	41	this state applicable to the holder of an original or duplicate
42	42	driver's license.
43	43	(d) Except as otherwise provided by this chapter, an
44	44	applicant for a Texas resident driver's permit who is at least 16
45	45	years of age but younger than 18 years of age is subject to the laws
46	46	of this state applicable to a holder of a provisional license.
47	47	(e) The department shall adopt rules:
48	48	(1) regarding the design and content of the Texas
49	49	resident driver's permit;
50	50	(2) establishing criteria for proof of identification
51	51	and residency of an applicant;
52	52	(3) designating acceptable evidence that an applicant
53	53	is not eligible for a social security number; and
54	54	(4) regarding the issuance of Texas resident driver's
55	55	instruction permits.
56	56	Sec. 521.233. APPLICATION. (a) An application for a Texas
57	57	resident driver's permit must state the applicant's full name and
58	58	place and date of birth. This information must be verified by
59	59	presentation of a current passport or consular document issued to
60	60	the applicant by the country of which the applicant is a citizen.
61	61	(b) The application must include:
62	62	(1) a complete electronic set of the applicant's
63	63	fingerprints;
64	64	(2) a photograph of the applicant;
65	65	(3) the signature of the applicant;
66	66	(4) a brief description of the applicant; and
67	67	(5) any information necessary for performing a
68	68	criminal history background check on the applicant.
69	69	(c) The application must state:
70	70	(1) the sex of the applicant;
71	71	(2) the residence address of the applicant;
72	72	(3) whether the applicant has been licensed to drive a
73	73	motor vehicle before;
74	74	(4) if previously licensed:
75	75	(A) when and by what state or country;
76	76	(B) whether that license has been suspended or
77	77	revoked or a license application denied; and
78	78	(C) the date and reason for the suspension,
79	79	revocation, or denial; and
80	80	(5) the county of residence of the applicant.
81	81	(d) If the applicant is younger than 21 years of age, the
82	82	application must state whether the applicant has completed a driver
83	83	education course required by Section 521.1601.
84	84	(e) The application must include any other information the
85	85	department requires to determine the applicant's identity,
86	86	residency, competency, and eligibility as required by the
87	87	department or state law.
88	88	(f) Information supplied to the department relating to an
89	89	applicant's medical history is for the confidential use of the
90	90	department and may not be disclosed to any person or used as
91	91	evidence in a legal proceeding other than a proceeding under
92	92	Subchapter N. This subsection does not apply to information
93	93	provided by an applicant under Subsection (g).
94	94	(g) The application must provide space for the applicant to
95	95	voluntarily list any health condition that may impede communication
96	96	with a peace officer as evidenced by a written statement from a
97	97	licensed physician.
98	98	Sec. 521.234. FEES. (a) The fee for applying for an
99	99	original Texas resident driver's permit is $150.
100	100	(b) The fee for issuance or renewal of a Texas resident
101	101	driver's permit is $24.
102	102	(c) The fee for issuance of a provisional Texas resident
103	103	driver's permit or Texas resident driver's instruction permit is
104	104	$15.
105	105	Sec. 521.235. EXPIRATION. (a) Each Texas resident
106	106	driver's permit issued under this subchapter expires two years
107	107	after the date of issuance.
108	108	(b) Each provisional Texas resident driver's permit and
109	109	Texas resident driver's instruction permit issued under this
110	110	subchapter expires on the 18th birthday of the permit holder.
111	111	Sec. 521.236. FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY REQUIREMENT. (a) A
112	112	Texas resident driver's permit is invalid if, on request of a peace
113	113	officer, the permit holder is unable to provide evidence of
114	114	financial responsibility for a motor vehicle the permit holder is
115	115	operating.
116	116	(b) A holder of a Texas resident driver's permit who cannot
117	117	provide evidence of financial responsibility commits an offense
118	118	punishable under Section 521.457.
119	119	SECTION 2. Section 521.457(a), Transportation Code, is
120	120	amended to read as follows:
121	121	(a) A person commits an offense if the person operates a
122	122	motor vehicle on a highway:
123	123	(1) after the person's driver's license has been
124	124	canceled under this chapter if the person does not have a license
125	125	that was subsequently issued under this chapter;
126	126	(2) during a period that the person's driver's license
127	127	or privilege is suspended or revoked under any law of this state;
128	128	(3) while the person's driver's license is expired if
129	129	the license expired during a period of suspension; [or]
130	130	(4) after renewal of the person's driver's license has
131	131	been denied under any law of this state, if the person does not have
132	132	a driver's license subsequently issued under this chapter; or
133	133	(5) if the person holds a Texas resident driver's
134	134	permit issued under Subchapter K-1 and is unable to provide
135	135	evidence of financial responsibility for a vehicle the permit
136	136	holder is operating, as required under Section 521.236.
137	137	SECTION 3. Not later than January 1, 2016, the Department of
138	138	Public Safety of the State of Texas shall:
139	139	(1) adopt the rules necessary to implement Subchapter
140	140	K-1, Chapter 521, Transportation Code, as added by this Act; and
141	141	(2) create the application form required by Section
142	142	521.233, Transportation Code, as added by this Act.
143	143	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.