HBA-DMD, RAR H.B. 571 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 571
By: Hupp
Public Safety
6/30/1999
Enrolled



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Prior to the 76th Legislature, driver's licenses issued by the state
contained certain information about the driver's license holder in
electronically readable form.  Applicants for a driver's license were also
required to provide fingerprints.  H.B. 571 prohibits the Department of
Public Safety (department) from including any information on a driver's
license, commercial driver's license, or identification certificate in
electronically readable form other than the specified information. This
bill requires the department to take necessary steps to ensure that the
information is used only for law enforcement or governmental purposes. It
establishes that the unauthorized use of the information is 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 Subchapter F, Chapter 521, Transportation Code, by
adding Section 521.126, as follows: 

Sec. 521.126. ELECTRONICALLY READABLE INFORMATION. Prohibits the Department
of Public Safety (department) from including any information on a driver's
license, commercial driver's license, or identification certificate in an
electronically readable form other than the information printed on the
license and a physical description of the licensee. Requires the department
to take necessary steps to ensure that the information is used only for law
enforcement or governmental purposes. Sets forth that the unauthorized use
of the information is a Class A misdemeanor. 

SECTION 2.  Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 3.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 4.  Emergency clause.