Bill Text: TX SB215 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the establishment of a program for the issuance of digital identification; authorizing a fee.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-11-12 - Filed [SB215 Detail]
Download: Texas-2025-SB215-Introduced.html
| 89R522 AJZ-D | ||
| By: West | S.B. No. 215 | |
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| relating to the establishment of a program for the issuance of | ||
| digital identification; authorizing a fee. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 7, Transportation Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Chapter 526 to read as follows: | ||
| CHAPTER 526. DIGITAL IDENTIFICATION PROGRAM | ||
| Sec. 526.0101. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: | ||
| (1) "Department" and "driver's license" have the | ||
| meanings assigned by Section 521.001. | ||
| (2) "Digital identification" includes a digital | ||
| driver's license, a digital personal identification certificate, a | ||
| digital handgun license, and a digital hunting or fishing license. | ||
| (3) "Handgun license" means a license to carry a | ||
| handgun issued under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code. | ||
| (4) "Hunting or fishing license" means a noncommercial | ||
| hunting or fishing license of any type issued by the Parks and | ||
| Wildlife Department, including: | ||
| (A) a hunting license issued under Chapter 42, | ||
| Parks and Wildlife Code; | ||
| (B) a fishing license issued under Chapter 46, | ||
| Parks and Wildlife Code; or | ||
| (C) a combination hunting and fishing license | ||
| issued under Chapter 50, Parks and Wildlife Code. | ||
| Sec. 526.0102. DIGITAL IDENTIFICATION PROGRAM. (a) The | ||
| department, in consultation with the Parks and Wildlife Department, | ||
| by rule shall establish a program for the issuance of digital | ||
| identification. | ||
| (b) In establishing the digital identification program, the | ||
| department shall: | ||
| (1) assess existing department infrastructure and | ||
| upgrade department infrastructure according to the department's | ||
| findings; | ||
| (2) provide a digital identification solution that: | ||
| (A) is capable of presenting digital | ||
| identification on a wireless communication device that: | ||
| (i) must include the information included | ||
| on a driver's license, as described by Section 521.121(a); and | ||
| (ii) may include, as applicable: | ||
| (a) the information included on a | ||
| handgun license, as required by Subchapter H, Chapter 411, | ||
| Government Code; and | ||
| (b) the information included on a | ||
| hunting or fishing license, as required by the Parks and Wildlife | ||
| Code, including a stamp or other authorization issued by the Parks | ||
| and Wildlife Department in connection with the hunting or fishing | ||
| license; | ||
| (B) includes an authentication and verification | ||
| process for a wireless communication device; and | ||
| (C) may be used in any location regardless of the | ||
| location's level of wireless connectivity or cellular telephone | ||
| service; | ||
| (3) deploy the digital identification solution; and | ||
| (4) implement any procedures necessary to allow law | ||
| enforcement officials to accept digital identification. | ||
| (c) The department may contract with a third party to | ||
| establish the program described by this section if the cost of the | ||
| contract is covered by the fee authorized under Subsection (d). | ||
| (d) The department may charge a fee of not more than $5 for | ||
| the issuance of digital identification under this section. | ||
| (e) Except as otherwise provided by this subsection or | ||
| federal law, a person shall accept digital identification issued | ||
| under this section as evidence of another person's identity in the | ||
| same manner as a driver's license. Digital identification issued | ||
| under this section may not be used for voting purposes. | ||
| SECTION 2. (a) The Department of Public Safety by rule | ||
| shall establish and implement the digital identification program | ||
| under Chapter 526, Transportation Code, as added by this Act, not | ||
| later than September 1, 2026. | ||
| (b) If before implementing any provision of this Act the | ||
| Department of Public Safety determines that a waiver or | ||
| authorization from a federal agency is necessary for the | ||
| implementation of that provision, the Department of Public Safety | ||
| shall request the waiver or authorization and may delay | ||
| implementing that provision until the waiver or authorization is | ||
| granted. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. | ||
