bill giving released inmates state-issued ID

The text as introduced · 508 words

89R816 MZM-D

By: Bryant
H.B. No. 5159

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to providing inmates with state-issued identification on

release or discharge.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 501.0165, Government Code, is amended by

amending Subsections (b) and (c) and adding Subsection (c-1) to

read as follows:

(b) The department shall submit a request under Subsection

(a)(2) as soon as is practicable to enable the department to provide

the inmate with the personal identification certificate when the

department discharges or releases the inmate but not later than:

(1) the 30th day before the date the inmate is

scheduled to be discharged; or

(2) the 15th day after the date the department is

notified that the inmate is to be released on parole, mandatory

supervision, or conditional pardon .

(c) The department, the Department of Public Safety, and the

[ bureau of ] vital statistics unit of the Department of State Health

Services shall by rule adopt a memorandum of understanding that

establishes their respective responsibilities with respect to the

issuance of a personal identification certificate to an inmate,

including responsibilities related to verification of the inmate's

identity. The memorandum of understanding must require :

(1) the Department of State Health Services to

electronically verify the birth record of an inmate whose name and

any other personal information is provided by the department and to

electronically report the recorded filing information to the

Department of Public Safety to validate the identity of an inmate

under this section ; and

(2) the department and the Department of Public Safety

to establish procedures or other measures necessary to ensure that

inmates described by Subsection (a)(2) are provided with a personal

identification certificate when the department discharges or

releases the inmates .

(c-1) Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year,

the department shall:

(1) submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor,

the speaker of the house of representatives, and each standing

committee of the legislature with primary jurisdiction over the

department a written report that contains the following information

for the two-year period preceding the date of the report:

(A) the number of inmates discharged or released

on parole, mandatory supervision, or conditional pardon without a

valid license or personal identification certificate; and

(B) a summary of:

(i) the reasons inmates described by

Paragraph (A) were discharged or released without being provided a

personal identification certificate; and

(ii) the actions being implemented to

address the reasons identified under Subparagraph (i); and

(2) publish the report on the department's Internet

website.

SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only

to the discharge or release of an inmate on parole, mandatory

supervision, or conditional pardon that occurs on or after December

1, 2025. A discharge or release that occurs before that date is

governed by the law in effect immediately before the effective date

of this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that

purpose.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.