BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 964 89R10340 MZM-D By: Hughes State Affairs 3/17/2025 As Filed AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT Texas law requires that applicants for a Texas driver's license or personal identification certificate provide the Department of Public Safety (DPS) with proof of United States citizenship or evidence of lawful presence if the applicant is not a U.S. citizen. However, Texas law does not currently require licenses or personal identification certificates issued to noncitizens to be distinguishable from those issued to U.S. citizens. Under Texas law, either a license or a personal identification certificate may be used to satisfy the state's photo identification requirement when voting in an election. As a result, a noncitizen could become registered to vote and produce a Texas-issued license or identification certificate when voting, neither of which makes it immediately clear to election officials that the holder of the ID is a noncitizen and ineligible to vote. S.B. 964 resolves this issue by requiring that licenses and personal identification certificates issued to noncitizens by DPS be visually distinct from those issued to U.S. citizens. The bill requires licenses and personal identification certificates issued to noncitizens to clearly reflect the term "NONCITIZEN" and be oriented vertically. In 2023, Ohio adopted a similar measure requiring "NONCITIZEN" to be printed on licenses and state-issued ID. S.B. 964 adds two new sections to the Transportation Code with four simple components: requires that driver's licenses issued to noncitizens be oriented vertically like licenses issued to people under 21 years old; requires said licenses to display the word "NONCITIZEN" on the front of the license in the same font size as the driver's license number; requires personal identification certificates issued to noncitizens to be oriented in a manner to easily distinguish them from certificates issued to citizens; and requires personal identification certificates to display "NONCITIZEN" on the front of the certificate in a font size matching the personal identification certificate number. As proposed, S.B. 964 amends current law relating to the appearance of a personal identification certificate or driver's license issued to a person who is not a citizen of the United States. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter E, Chapter 521, Transportation Code, by adding Section 521.1017, as follows: Sec. 521.1017. DESIGNATOR ON CERTIFICATE ISSUED TO NONCITIZEN. Requires that a personal identification certificate issued to a person who is not a citizen of the United States orient the information on the certificate to clearly distinguish the certificate from a personal identification certificate issued to a person who is a citizen and display the word "NONCITIZEN" on the front of the certificate in the same font size as the individual's personal identification certificate number. SECTION 2. Amends Subchapter F, Chapter 521, Transportation Code, by adding Section 521.1231, as follows: Sec. 521.1231. DESIGNATOR ON LICENSE ISSUED TO NONCITIZEN. Requires that a driver's license issued to an applicant who is not a citizen of the United States orient the information on the license vertically, regardless of the age of the applicant, to clearly distinguish the license from a driver's license issued to a person who is a citizen and display the word "NONCITIZEN" on the front of the license in the same font size as the individual's driver's license number. SECTION 3. Makes application of this Act prospective. SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 2025.
BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 964
89R10340 MZM-D By: Hughes
State Affairs
3/17/2025
As Filed
Senate Research Center
S.B. 964
89R10340 MZM-D
By: Hughes
State Affairs
3/17/2025
As Filed
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Texas law requires that applicants for a Texas driver's license or personal identification certificate provide the Department of Public Safety (DPS) with proof of United States citizenship or evidence of lawful presence if the applicant is not a U.S. citizen. However, Texas law does not currently require licenses or personal identification certificates issued to noncitizens to be distinguishable from those issued to U.S. citizens.
Under Texas law, either a license or a personal identification certificate may be used to satisfy the state's photo identification requirement when voting in an election. As a result, a noncitizen could become registered to vote and produce a Texas-issued license or identification certificate when voting, neither of which makes it immediately clear to election officials that the holder of the ID is a noncitizen and ineligible to vote.
S.B. 964 resolves this issue by requiring that licenses and personal identification certificates issued to noncitizens by DPS be visually distinct from those issued to U.S. citizens. The bill requires licenses and personal identification certificates issued to noncitizens to clearly reflect the term "NONCITIZEN" and be oriented vertically. In 2023, Ohio adopted a similar measure requiring "NONCITIZEN" to be printed on licenses and state-issued ID.
S.B. 964 adds two new sections to the Transportation Code with four simple components:
1. requires that driver's licenses issued to noncitizens be oriented vertically like licenses issued to people under 21 years old;
2. requires said licenses to display the word "NONCITIZEN" on the front of the license in the same font size as the driver's license number;
3. requires personal identification certificates issued to noncitizens to be oriented in a manner to easily distinguish them from certificates issued to citizens; and
4. requires personal identification certificates to display "NONCITIZEN" on the front of the certificate in a font size matching the personal identification certificate number.
As proposed, S.B. 964 amends current law relating to the appearance of a personal identification certificate or driver's license issued to a person who is not a citizen of the United States.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter E, Chapter 521, Transportation Code, by adding Section 521.1017, as follows:
Sec. 521.1017. DESIGNATOR ON CERTIFICATE ISSUED TO NONCITIZEN. Requires that a personal identification certificate issued to a person who is not a citizen of the United States orient the information on the certificate to clearly distinguish the certificate from a personal identification certificate issued to a person who is a citizen and display the word "NONCITIZEN" on the front of the certificate in the same font size as the individual's personal identification certificate number.
SECTION 2. Amends Subchapter F, Chapter 521, Transportation Code, by adding Section 521.1231, as follows:
Sec. 521.1231. DESIGNATOR ON LICENSE ISSUED TO NONCITIZEN. Requires that a driver's license issued to an applicant who is not a citizen of the United States orient the information on the license vertically, regardless of the age of the applicant, to clearly distinguish the license from a driver's license issued to a person who is a citizen and display the word "NONCITIZEN" on the front of the license in the same font size as the individual's driver's license number.
SECTION 3. Makes application of this Act prospective.
SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 2025.