Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB1969 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R7950 MCF-D
2	2	By: Collier H.B. No. 1969
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to providing inmates with certain documents on release or
10	10	discharge; changing a fee.
11	11	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
12	12	SECTION 1. Section 501.015(a), Government Code, is amended
13	13	to read as follows:
14	14	(a) When an inmate is discharged or is released on parole,
15	15	mandatory supervision, or conditional pardon, the department shall
16	16	provide the inmate with:
17	17	(1) suitable civilian clothing;
18	18	(2) money held in the inmate's trust account by the
19	19	director;
20	20	(3) cash, in an amount and in the manner described by
21	21	Subsection (b); and
22	22	(4) a license or personal identification certificate
23	23	obtained under Section 501.0165, if available.
24	24	SECTION 2. Sections 501.0165(a), (b), (c), and (d),
25	25	Government Code, are amended to read as follows:
26	26	(a) Before discharging an inmate or releasing an inmate on
27	27	parole, mandatory supervision, or conditional pardon, the
28	28	department shall:
29	29	(1) determine whether the inmate has:
30	30	(A) a valid license issued under Chapter 521 or
31	31	522, Transportation Code; or
32	32	(B) a valid personal identification certificate
33	33	issued under Chapter 521, Transportation Code; and
34	34	(2) if the inmate does not have a valid license or
35	35	certificate described by Subdivision (1), submit to the Department
36	36	of Public Safety on behalf of the inmate a request for the issuance
37	37	of:
38	38	(A) a renewal license under Chapter 521 or 522,
39	39	Transportation Code, if:
40	40	(i) the inmate's license issued under the
41	41	applicable chapter is expired but eligible for renewal; and
42	42	(ii) the inmate meets the requirements for
43	43	the issuance of the license; or
44	44	(B) a personal identification certificate under
45	45	Chapter 521, Transportation Code.
46	46	(b) The department shall submit a request under Subsection
47	47	(a)(2) as soon as is practicable to enable the department to provide
48	48	the inmate with the license or personal identification certificate
49	49	when the department discharges or releases the inmate.
50	50	(c) The department, the Department of Public Safety, and the
51	51	[bureau of] vital statistics unit of the Department of State Health
52	52	Services shall by rule adopt a memorandum of understanding that
53	53	establishes their respective responsibilities with respect to the
54	54	issuance of a license or personal identification certificate to an
55	55	inmate under this section, including responsibilities related to
56	56	verification of the inmate's identity. The memorandum of
57	57	understanding must require the Department of State Health Services
58	58	to electronically verify the birth record of an inmate whose name
59	59	and any other personal information is provided by the department
60	60	and to electronically report the recorded filing information to the
61	61	Department of Public Safety to validate the identity of an inmate
62	62	under this section.
63	63	(d) The department shall reimburse the Department of Public
64	64	Safety or the Department of State Health Services for the actual
65	65	costs incurred by those agencies in performing responsibilities
66	66	established under this section. The department may charge an
67	67	inmate for the actual costs incurred under this section or the fees
68	68	required by Section 521.421 or 522.029, Transportation Code, as
69	69	applicable.
70	70	SECTION 3. Section 521.421(a-1), Transportation Code, is
71	71	amended to read as follows:
72	72	(a-1) The fee for a renewal driver's license or a personal
73	73	identification certificate issued under Section 501.0165,
74	74	Government Code, Section 841.153, Health and Safety Code, or
75	75	Section 245.0536, Human Resources Code, as applicable, is $5.
76	76	SECTION 4. Section 522.029, Transportation Code, is amended
77	77	by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (n) to read as
78	78	follows:
79	79	(a) The fee for a commercial driver's license issued by the
80	80	department is $96, except as provided by Subsections (f), (h), (j),
81	81	(k), [and] (m), and (n).
82	82	(n) The fee for a renewal commercial driver's license issued
83	83	under Section 501.0165, Government Code, is $5.
84	84	SECTION 5. As soon as practicable after the effective date
85	85	of this Act, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, the
86	86	Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas, and the vital
87	87	statistics unit of the Department of State Health Services shall
88	88	update as necessary the memorandum of understanding and rules
89	89	required by Section 501.0165(c), Government Code, as amended by
90	90	this Act.
91	91	SECTION 6. The change in law made by this Act applies only
92	92	to the discharge or release of an inmate on parole, mandatory
93	93	supervision, or conditional pardon that occurs on or after December
94	94	1, 2025. A discharge or release that occurs before that date is
95	95	governed by the law in effect immediately before the effective date
96	96	of this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that
97	97	purpose.
98	98	SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.