HBA-CMT H.B. 1762 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1762 By: Green Public Safety 3/29/2001 Committee Report (Amended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Current law authorized the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to adopt rules during the last legislative session to allow driver's license or personal identification card applicants to pay certain fees by mail, telephone, Internet, or electric transaction (other means) in an effort to minimize the wait in drivers license offices and reduce the inconvenience to the public. However, the current statute may be too specific to allow other transactions. House Bill 1762 authorizes the expansion of DPS's e-commerce business process to allow persons to apply for duplicate driver's licenses and submit requests for information by other means. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking authority is expressly delegated to the Department of Public Safety in SECTION 1 (Section 521.0485, Transportation Code), SECTION 2 (Section 521.146, Transportation Code), and SECTION 3 (Section 411.0135, Government) of this bill. ANALYSIS House Bill 1762 amends the Transportation and Government codes relating to the release of certain driver's license holder information and the issuance of duplicate and corrected licenses. The bill authorizes the Department of Public Safety (DPS) by rule to provide that the holder of a driver's license issued by DPS may submit a request for certain information, including on a violation or accident information of a drivers license holder by mail, telephone, over the Internet, or by other electronic means. The bill deletes the requirement that a person applying for a corrected driver's license or certificate must provide satisfactory proof to DPS that the driver's license or certificate was lost or destroyed. The bill provides that the holder of a driver's license issued by DPS is authorized to apply for the issuance of a duplicate license by mail, telephone, over the Internet, or by other electronic means. H.B. 1762 also amends the Government Code to authorize DPS to adopt rules regarding the method of payment of any fee or charge that is imposed or collected by DPS. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001. EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS Committee Amendment No. 1 provides that the Department of Public Safety (DPS) may by rule authorize the holder of an identification certificate to apply for a duplicate certificate by mail, telephone, over the Internet, or by other electronic means.