By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 1799
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the punishment for the offense of driving while license
invalid and to the issuance of a citation or written notice to
appear to a person charged with that offense.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 521.457, Transportation Code, is amended
by adding Subsection (h) to read as follows:
(h) A peace officer, instead of arresting a person charged
with an offense under this section and taking the person before a
magistrate as required by Section 543.002 of this code and Article
14.06(a), Code of Criminal Procedure:
(1) may issue the person a citation or written notice
to appear as provided by Section 543.003 of this code or Article
14.06(b) or (c), Code of Criminal Procedure, as applicable; and
(2) may allow a passenger in the motor vehicle to
operate the vehicle following the issuance of the citation or
written notice to appear if the passenger holds a driver's license
and is otherwise fit to operate the vehicle.
SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only
to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act.
An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is
governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed,
and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For
purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the
effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred
before that date.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.