BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 1777 By: Morales, Eddie Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The bill author has informed the committee of public safety concerns due to the absence of a visible and standardized indicator on driver's licenses or personal identification certificates for individuals required to register as sex offenders, which can cause inefficiencies or delays in verifying a person's registration status that, in turn, can potentially hinder public safety measures and law enforcement efforts. H.B. 1777 seeks to resolve these issues by requiring the Department of Public Safety to include a designation on the driver's license or personal identification certificate of anyone subject to sex offender registration, ensuring that the individual's status is immediately recognizable, streamlining verification processes, and bolstering public safety initiatives. CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS H.B. 1777 amends the Transportation Code to require the Department of Public Safety, on receipt of an applicable court order requiring this action, to include on each driver's license or personal identification certificate issued to a person required to register as a sex offender a designation that shows the person is subject to sex offender registration requirements. The bill applies only to a driver's license issued or renewed on or after the bill's effective date. A driver's license issued or renewed before that date is governed by the law in effect when the license was issued or renewed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025.
BILL ANALYSIS
# BILL ANALYSIS
H.B. 1777
By: Morales, Eddie
Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs
Committee Report (Unamended)
H.B. 1777
By: Morales, Eddie
Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs
Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The bill author has informed the committee of public safety concerns due to the absence of a visible and standardized indicator on driver's licenses or personal identification certificates for individuals required to register as sex offenders, which can cause inefficiencies or delays in verifying a person's registration status that, in turn, can potentially hinder public safety measures and law enforcement efforts. H.B. 1777 seeks to resolve these issues by requiring the Department of Public Safety to include a designation on the driver's license or personal identification certificate of anyone subject to sex offender registration, ensuring that the individual's status is immediately recognizable, streamlining verification processes, and bolstering public safety initiatives.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS H.B. 1777 amends the Transportation Code to require the Department of Public Safety, on receipt of an applicable court order requiring this action, to include on each driver's license or personal identification certificate issued to a person required to register as a sex offender a designation that shows the person is subject to sex offender registration requirements. The bill applies only to a driver's license issued or renewed on or after the bill's effective date. A driver's license issued or renewed before that date is governed by the law in effect when the license was issued or renewed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
The bill author has informed the committee of public safety concerns due to the absence of a visible and standardized indicator on driver's licenses or personal identification certificates for individuals required to register as sex offenders, which can cause inefficiencies or delays in verifying a person's registration status that, in turn, can potentially hinder public safety measures and law enforcement efforts. H.B. 1777 seeks to resolve these issues by requiring the Department of Public Safety to include a designation on the driver's license or personal identification certificate of anyone subject to sex offender registration, ensuring that the individual's status is immediately recognizable, streamlining verification processes, and bolstering public safety initiatives.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
H.B. 1777 amends the Transportation Code to require the Department of Public Safety, on receipt of an applicable court order requiring this action, to include on each driver's license or personal identification certificate issued to a person required to register as a sex offender a designation that shows the person is subject to sex offender registration requirements. The bill applies only to a driver's license issued or renewed on or after the bill's effective date. A driver's license issued or renewed before that date is governed by the law in effect when the license was issued or renewed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2025.