SB 523 proposes changes to the Texas Transportation Code to allow parole officers, peace officers, probation officers, and prosecutors to have an alternative address—such as an office address—listed on their driver's license instead of their residential address. This change aims to enhance the privacy and safety of these public servants by reducing their exposure to potential threats from individuals they interact with professionally.
The key difference between the originally filed version and the committee substitute is the expansion of eligibility for obtaining a driver's license with an alternative address.
In the originally filed bill the provision applied only to parole officers, peace officers, and prosecutors. However, in the committee substitute the bill was amended to include probation officers in the list of eligible individuals.
Another modification relates to the address change notification requirement. Under the originally filed version, a parole officer or prosecutor was required to notify the Department of Public Safety within 30 days if they changed either their residence or office address. In the committee substitute, this provision was extended to include probation officers, ensuring that they, too, must report address changes under the same timeline.