Bill Text: TX SB270 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the renewal, expiration, and suspension of driver's licenses; increasing a fee.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-02-15 - Referred to Transportation [SB270 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-SB270-Introduced.html
88R3886 JRR-F | ||
By: Johnson | S.B. No. 270 |
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relating to the renewal, expiration, and suspension of driver's | ||
licenses; increasing a fee. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter M, Chapter 521, Transportation Code, | ||
is amended by adding Section 521.2719 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 521.2719. EXPIRED LICENSES. (a) A person may renew an | ||
expired driver's license if the person's license has not been | ||
expired for more than 10 years. | ||
(b) A person whose driver's license has been expired for | ||
more than 10 years may obtain a new driver's license by complying | ||
with the requirements and procedures for obtaining an original | ||
driver's license. | ||
SECTION 2. Section 521.421, Transportation Code, is amended | ||
by adding Subsection (l) to read as follows: | ||
(l) If a person is applying for the renewal of a driver's | ||
license that has been expired for more than 90 days, the fee for the | ||
renewal driver's license is increased by $20. | ||
SECTION 3. Chapter 706, Transportation Code, is amended by | ||
adding Section 706.0045 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 706.0045. PERIOD OF DENIAL OF RENEWAL OF DRIVER'S | ||
LICENSE. (a) Notwithstanding Section 706.004(a) or 706.006(c), | ||
the department may deny renewal of a person's driver's license under | ||
this chapter only until the earlier of: | ||
(1) the date the department receives a clearance | ||
notice under Section 706.005; or | ||
(2) the 10th anniversary of the date the department or | ||
a vendor described by Subsection (b) first received notice under | ||
this chapter that there was cause to deny renewal of the person's | ||
driver's license. | ||
(b) This subsection applies only if the department | ||
contracts with a vendor under Section 706.008 to implement this | ||
chapter. Each month, the vendor shall: | ||
(1) identify each person whose license may no longer | ||
be denied renewal because of the expiration of the time period | ||
described by Subsection (a)(2); and | ||
(2) provide the name of each person identified under | ||
Subdivision (1) to: | ||
(A) the department; and | ||
(B) the applicable court in which the person | ||
failed to appear based on a complaint or citation or failed to pay | ||
or satisfy a judgment ordering the payment of a fine and cost in the | ||
manner ordered by the court in a matter involving an offense | ||
described by Section 706.002(a). | ||
SECTION 4. Section 706.005, Transportation Code, is amended | ||
by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (c) to read as | ||
follows: | ||
(a) A political subdivision shall immediately notify the | ||
department that there is no cause to continue to deny renewal of a | ||
person's driver's license based on the person's previous failure to | ||
appear or failure to pay or satisfy a judgment ordering the payment | ||
of a fine and cost in the manner ordered by the court in a matter | ||
involving an offense described by Section 706.002(a), on payment of | ||
a reimbursement fee, or on a finding by the court that the person is | ||
indigent and not required to pay a reimbursement fee, as provided by | ||
Section 706.006 and: | ||
(1) the perfection of an appeal of the case for which | ||
the warrant of arrest was issued or judgment arose; | ||
(2) the dismissal of the charge for which the warrant | ||
of arrest was issued or judgment arose, other than a dismissal with | ||
prejudice by motion of the appropriate prosecuting attorney for | ||
lack of evidence; | ||
(3) the posting of bond or the giving of other security | ||
to reinstate the charge for which the warrant was issued; | ||
(4) the payment or discharge of the fine and cost owed | ||
on an outstanding judgment of the court; [ |
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(5) if the person's license is denied renewal solely | ||
because of the person's previous failure to appear, the person's | ||
appearance in court in any manner authorized by law for the | ||
underlying offense for which the person previously failed to | ||
appear; or | ||
(6) any other [ |
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the fine and cost within the court's discretion, including any | ||
instance in which the person enters into an arrangement with the | ||
court to satisfy the fine and cost under a payment plan or by | ||
performing community service. | ||
(c) A political subdivision that notifies the department | ||
that there is no cause to continue to deny renewal of a person's | ||
driver's license under Subsection (a) may notify the department if | ||
the court subsequently determines the person failed to complete an | ||
arrangement to satisfy the fine and cost under Subsection (a)(6), | ||
including failure to complete payment plan installments or failure | ||
to complete community service. On receiving the necessary | ||
information from the political subdivision under this subsection, | ||
the department may deny renewal of the person's driver's license. | ||
SECTION 5. (a) Sections 521.2719 and 521.421(l), | ||
Transportation Code, as added by this Act, apply only to an | ||
application for a renewal driver's license that is submitted on or | ||
after the effective date of this Act. An application that is | ||
submitted before the effective date of this Act is governed by the | ||
law in effect when the application was submitted, and the former law | ||
is continued in effect for that purpose. | ||
(b) Section 706.0045, Transportation Code, as added by this | ||
Act, applies to a determination to deny renewal of a driver's | ||
license that is made by the Department of Public Safety of the State | ||
of Texas before, on, or after the effective date of this Act. | ||
SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |