HBA-MPA, BTC H.B. 318 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 318
By: Driver
Public Safety
3/25/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently it is a Class B misdemeanor to knowingly provide false
information on an application for a driver's license or personal
identification card issued by the Department of Public Safety (DPS). This
same offense is a Class A misdemeanor under Section 37.10 (Tampering with
Governmental Records), Penal Code.  H.B. 318 amends the Transportation Code
to make the penalty for knowingly providing false information on an
application for a driver's license or DPS-issued personal identification
card a Class A misdemeanor. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 521.454(c), Transportation Code, to reclassify
the offense under this section (False Application) from a Class C
misdemeanor to a Class A misdemeanor.  Deletes the exception stating that
the offense is a Class B misdemeanor if the matter, information, or
statement falsely sworn to or affirmed relates to the cancellation,
suspension, revocation, or denial of the declarant's license. 

SECTION 2.  Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 3.  Effective date:  September 1, 1999.

SECTION 4.  Emergency clause.