TEXAS SENATE PASSES VERIFICATION BILL

Senate Bill 1670, which addresses the problem of uninsured drivers in Texas, was passed by the Senate. The bill by Sen. Todd Staples, R-Palestine, calls for a $1 fee on motor vehicle license renewals to pay for an insurance verification program to be operated by the Texas Department of Public Safety.

In the Senate’s analysis of the bill, it was reported that 20 percent of Texas drivers do not have auto insurance, according to the Department of Public Safety. The DPS has issued over 195,000 tickets to drivers in Texas for lack of insurance in the past year.

Under the bill, the enforcement program would be developed jointly by the DPS, the Texas Department of Insurance and the Texas Department of Transportation. Some 27 other states have implemented insurance verification programs.