87R4916 BEE-D
By: Ramos H.B. No. 1619
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a fee exemption for trafficking victims for certain
personal identification documents.
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 191.00495 to read as follows:
Sec. 191.00495. BIRTH RECORD ISSUED TO TRAFFICKING VICTIM.
(a) In this section, "trafficking victim" has the meaning assigned
by Section 521.1813, Transportation Code.
(b) On request of a person who is a trafficking victim, the
state registrar, a local registrar, or a county clerk shall issue
without fee a certified copy of the person's birth record.
(c) The state registrar, a local registrar, or a county
clerk may require a person to provide only the documentation
prescribed by a rule adopted by the Department of Public Safety
under Section 521.1813(c), Transportation Code, to confirm a
person's status as a trafficking victim.
SECTION 2. Subchapter I, Chapter 521, Transportation Code,
is amended by adding Section 521.1813 to read as follows:
Sec. 521.1813. EXEMPTION FOR TRAFFICKING VICTIMS. (a) In
this section, "trafficking victim" means a victim of trafficking of
persons under Chapter 20A, Penal Code.
(b) A person who is a trafficking victim is exempt from the
payment of fees under this chapter for the issuance of a driver's
license or personal identification certificate, subject to Section
521.4265.
(c) The department shall adopt rules to implement this
section, including rules prescribing any documentation necessary
to confirm a person's status as a trafficking victim.
SECTION 3. Sections 521.4265(b) and (c), Transportation
Code, are amended to read as follows:
(b) For each exemption granted under Section 521.1015, [or]
521.1811, or 521.1813, the department shall deposit to the credit
of the Texas mobility fund an amount from the identification fee
exemption account under Subsection (a) that is equal to the amount
of the waived fee that would otherwise be deposited to the mobility
fund.
(c) The department may not grant an exemption under Section
521.1015, [or] 521.1811, or 521.1813 if money is not available in
the identification fee exemption account to meet the requirements
of Subsection (b).
SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply to an
application for a birth certificate, driver's license, or personal
identification certificate submitted on or after the effective date
of this Act. An application for a birth certificate, driver's
license, or personal identification certificate submitted before
the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on
the date the application was submitted, and the former law is
continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.