H.B. No. 1823
AN ACT
relating to properly recorded diacritical marks in vital statistics
records, driver's licenses, commercial driver's licenses, and
personal identification certificates.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 191, Health and Safety
Code, is amended by adding Section 191.009 to read as follows:
Sec. 191.009. USE OF DIACRITICAL MARKS. (a) In this
section, "diacritical mark" means a mark used in Latin script to
change the sound of the letter to which it is added or used to
distinguish the meaning of the word in which the letter appears.
The term includes accents, tildes, graves, umlauts, and cedillas.
(b) The state registrar shall ensure that a vital statistics
record issued under this title properly records any diacritical
mark used in a person's name.
SECTION 2. Subchapter F, Chapter 521, Transportation Code,
is amended by adding Section 521.127 to read as follows:
Sec. 521.127. USE OF DIACRITICAL MARKS. (a) In this
section, "diacritical mark" means a mark used in Latin script to
change the sound of a letter to which it is added or used to
distinguish the meaning of the word in which the letter appears.
The term includes accents, tildes, graves, umlauts, and cedillas.
(b) The department shall ensure that an original or renewal
driver's license or personal identification certificate issued
under this chapter properly records any diacritical mark used in a
person's name.
SECTION 3. Section 522.030, Transportation Code, is amended
by adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:
(d) The department shall ensure that an original or renewal
commercial driver's license or commercial learner's permit issued
under this chapter properly records any diacritical mark used in a
person's name. In this subsection, "diacritical mark" means a mark
used in Latin script to change the sound of a letter to which it is
added or used to distinguish the meaning of the word in which the
letter appears. The term includes accents, tildes, graves,
umlauts, and cedillas.
SECTION 4. The change in law made by this Act applies only
to a vital statistics record issued by the Department of State
Health Services vital statistics unit or a driver's license,
personal identification certificate, or commercial driver's
license or learner's permit issued or renewed by the Texas
Department of Public Safety on or after January 1, 2019.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 1823 was passed by the House on May 4,
2017, by the following vote: Yeas 142, Nays 1, 2 present, not
voting; that the House refused to concur in Senate amendments to
H.B. No. 1823 on May 26, 2017, and requested the appointment of a
conference committee to consider the differences between the two
houses; and that the House adopted the conference committee report
on H.B. No. 1823 on May 28, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 130,
Nays 14, 2 present, not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 1823 was passed by the Senate, with
amendments, on May 23, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays
1; at the request of the House, the Senate appointed a conference
committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and
that the Senate adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No.
1823 on May 28, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays 1.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: __________________
Date
__________________
Governor