HB 5159

relating to providing inmates with state-issued identification on
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
(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
(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
(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
(c-1)  Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year,
(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
(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
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
SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.