Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Texas House Bill HCR94 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	85R11759 BPG-D
2	2	By: Thompson of Harris H.C.R. No. 94
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4	4
5	5	CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
6	6	WHEREAS, Pursuant to 23 U.S.C. Section 159, the United States
7	7	Secretary of Transportation is required to withhold eight percent
8	8	of a state's highway-related funds unless that state enacts and
9	9	enforces a law requiring a six-month suspension or revocation of
10	10	the driver's license of any individual convicted of any violation
11	11	of the Controlled Substances Act or other drug law, or unless the
12	12	governor of the state submits written certifications by the
13	13	governor and the state legislature that both are opposed to the
14	14	enactment and enforcement of such a law; and
15	15	WHEREAS, The burden of automatic license suspensions falls
16	16	heavily on low-income people, making it even more difficult for
17	17	them to lead productive, law-abiding lives independent of public
18	18	assistance; in the Dallas and McAllen metropolitan areas, for
19	19	instance, fewer than 20 percent of jobs are accessible to residents
20	20	of low-income communities by public transit; a recent study found
21	21	that 40 percent of people lost a job upon a driver's license
22	22	suspension, and in the wake of such a suspension, 88 percent
23	23	reported lower income; moreover, such suspensions can make it
24	24	difficult to meet family obligations, reach medical care, and even
25	25	fulfill court requirements; and
26	26	WHEREAS, Automatic license suspensions impose high
27	27	administrative costs, but the American Association of Motor
28	28	Vehicles found that there is no evidence that they deter criminal
29	29	behavior; these suspensions force traffic authorities to expend
30	30	significant resources, including employee time as well as taxpayer
31	31	dollars, thereby diminishing their focus on dangerous
32	32	driving-related behavior on our roads and undermining public
33	33	safety; and
34	34	WHEREAS, The granting or withholding of driving privileges
35	35	has always been the prerogative of the states, rather than the
36	36	federal government, and the State of Texas has found that automatic
37	37	driver's license suspensions under 23 U.S.C. Section 159 waste tax
38	38	dollars while negatively impacting past offenders struggling to
39	39	become more responsible, contributing members of society; now,
40	40	therefore, be it
41	41	RESOLVED, That the 85th Legislature of the State of Texas
42	42	hereby declare its opposition to the enactment or enforcement by
43	43	the state of a law requiring the revocation or suspension of the
44	44	driver's license of any individual who is convicted of any
45	45	violation of the Controlled Substances Act or any drug offense;
46	46	and, be it further
47	47	RESOLVED, That the Texas Legislature hereby respectfully
48	48	urge the governor to submit written certification to the United
49	49	States Secretary of Transportation expressing his opposition to
50	50	this federal mandate along with written certification that the
51	51	Texas Legislature has adopted this resolution; and, be it further
52	52	RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official
53	53	copies of this resolution to the governor, to the secretary of the
54	54	United States Department of Transportation, and to all the members
55	55	of the Texas delegation to Congress.