Bill Text: TX HCR94 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Declaring opposition to the enactment or enforcement of a law requiring the revocation or suspension of the driver's license of any individual convicted of a drug offense.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-04-04 - Referred to Transportation [HCR94 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-HCR94-Introduced.html
85R11759 BPG-D | ||
By: Thompson of Harris | H.C.R. No. 94 |
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WHEREAS, Pursuant to 23 U.S.C. Section 159, the United States | ||
Secretary of Transportation is required to withhold eight percent | ||
of a state's highway-related funds unless that state enacts and | ||
enforces a law requiring a six-month suspension or revocation of | ||
the driver's license of any individual convicted of any violation | ||
of the Controlled Substances Act or other drug law, or unless the | ||
governor of the state submits written certifications by the | ||
governor and the state legislature that both are opposed to the | ||
enactment and enforcement of such a law; and | ||
WHEREAS, The burden of automatic license suspensions falls | ||
heavily on low-income people, making it even more difficult for | ||
them to lead productive, law-abiding lives independent of public | ||
assistance; in the Dallas and McAllen metropolitan areas, for | ||
instance, fewer than 20 percent of jobs are accessible to residents | ||
of low-income communities by public transit; a recent study found | ||
that 40 percent of people lost a job upon a driver's license | ||
suspension, and in the wake of such a suspension, 88 percent | ||
reported lower income; moreover, such suspensions can make it | ||
difficult to meet family obligations, reach medical care, and even | ||
fulfill court requirements; and | ||
WHEREAS, Automatic license suspensions impose high | ||
administrative costs, but the American Association of Motor | ||
Vehicles found that there is no evidence that they deter criminal | ||
behavior; these suspensions force traffic authorities to expend | ||
significant resources, including employee time as well as taxpayer | ||
dollars, thereby diminishing their focus on dangerous | ||
driving-related behavior on our roads and undermining public | ||
safety; and | ||
WHEREAS, The granting or withholding of driving privileges | ||
has always been the prerogative of the states, rather than the | ||
federal government, and the State of Texas has found that automatic | ||
driver's license suspensions under 23 U.S.C. Section 159 waste tax | ||
dollars while negatively impacting past offenders struggling to | ||
become more responsible, contributing members of society; now, | ||
therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the 85th Legislature of the State of Texas | ||
hereby declare its opposition to the enactment or enforcement by | ||
the state of a law requiring the revocation or suspension of the | ||
driver's license of any individual who is convicted of any | ||
violation of the Controlled Substances Act or any drug offense; | ||
and, be it further | ||
RESOLVED, That the Texas Legislature hereby respectfully | ||
urge the governor to submit written certification to the United | ||
States Secretary of Transportation expressing his opposition to | ||
this federal mandate along with written certification that the | ||
Texas Legislature has adopted this resolution; and, be it further | ||
RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official | ||
copies of this resolution to the governor, to the secretary of the | ||
United States Department of Transportation, and to all the members | ||
of the Texas delegation to Congress. |