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DPS balking at issuing driver licenses to inmates

It'll be awhile before the Department of Public Safety begins to comply with HB 2161 by state Rep. Sylvester Turner which passed last year in the 81st Texas Legislature, to judge by testimony from DPS Director Steve McCraw at yesterday's House Corrections Committee hearing.Although Turner's legislation directed DPS to enter a memorandum of understanding with TDCJ and  the Departmet of State Health Services to issue driver licenses to inmates upon release, McCraw wasn't willing to commit to complying, claiming to do so would cost too much money. He suggested instead that DPS create a mobile station as a "pilot" program for $600,000. Some inmates would need driving tests to get a license, he said (though as a practical matter, such folks could just get a state ID card), and the Real ID Act requires fingerprint verification and other security measures that complicate issuing licenses remotely...continue to full post

Full post as published by Grits for Breakfast on July 01, 2010 (boomark / email).