HBA- MPA H.B. 570 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 570
By: Hupp
Transportation
4/17/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, a person's driver's license number is displayed on a handicapped
parking placard in a manner that makes it readable from outside the
vehicle.  The original purpose of this law was to reduce the fraudulent use
of handicapped parking placards.  However, the potential for unlawful
misuse of the publicly displayed driver's license number and the loss of
privacy potentially outweigh any law enforcement benefit.  H.B. 570
requires the driver's license number to be displayed in such a way that it
is not visible from outside the vehicle. 

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 681.0031(b), Transportation Code, to authorize
the Texas Department personal identification number of an applicant for a
disabled parking placard be recorded on the placard, and if it is recorded,
that it be done in such a manner that the number cannot be read from
outside the vehicle when the placard is properly displayed. 

SECTION 2.  Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 3.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 4.  Emergency clause.