Neighbors,

As we all depart to visit family and friends, I want to wish you a very happy Thanksgiving.  I have many things to be thankful for, one of which is the privilege to serve the constituents of HD-18. I'm truly blessed to be a part of such a generous and diligent community, and we as Texans and as Americans have so much to be thankful for.  

Safe travels, 

-eb4

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) wants to remind all drivers to practice safe driving habits and exercise extra caution while traveling on Texas roadways during the busy Thanksgiving holiday. Texas Highway Patrol Troopers will increase enforcement starting Wednesday, Nov. 27, through Sunday, Dec. 1. DPS Troopers will be on the lookout for drivers failing to wear seat belts, violating the Move Over, Slow Down law, speeding and driving while intoxicated, among other traffic violations.

“As we gather with family and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving, you will play a key role in keeping everyone safe as you travel on our roadways this holiday,” said DPS Director Steven McCraw. “We urge drivers to celebrate the holiday responsibly by obeying traffic laws and monitoring weather conditions when traveling. DPS Troopers will also work to protect Texans by increasing traffic enforcement over Thanksgiving.”

During the 2018 Thanksgiving holiday, DPS Troopers issued more than 74,000 traffic citations and warnings, including 956 seat belt and child safety restraint citations. DPS enforcement efforts also resulted in 337 DWI arrests, 244 fugitive arrests and 213 felony arrests.   

Police agencies — including the Texas Highway Patrol — across the country will also increase enforcement efforts over the Thanksgiving holiday as part of Operation CARE (Crash Awareness and Reduction Effort).

The Flood Infrastructure Fund (FIF) was established by the Texas Legislature and approved by Texas voters on November 5, 2019, to assist in the financing of drainage, flood mitigation, and flood control projects. In conjunction, the 86th Texas Legislature made a one-time transfer from the Economic Stabilization or “Rainy Day” Fund via Senate Bill 500 to the FIF and also passed Senate Bill 7, which outlines uses of the fund and creates the Texas Infrastructure Resiliency Fund to support the development of the first state flood plan and related flood science initiatives. 

A video recording of the November 14 Board meeting, during which the proposed rules were approved for public comment, is available at http://texasadmin.com/tx/twdb/board_meeting/.

The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) invites stakeholders to review and comment on the proposed Flood Infrastructure Fund rules and Flood Intended Use Plan, which includes information on eligibility, minimum standards, program timeline, financial assistance categories, prioritization criteria, and additional information.

Comments on the rules should be submitted to [email protected], and comments on the Intended Use Plan should be submitted to [email protected]. The public comment period will end mid-January 2020. The proposed rules will also be posted in the Texas Register later this month.

If you haven't already, sign up to receive all flood-related information and updates. Be sure to check the box for "Flood Information.”

The REAL ID Act establishes minimum security standards for license issuance and production and prohibits Federal agencies from accepting for certain purposes driver’s licenses and identification cards from states not meeting the Act’s minimum standards. The purposes covered by the Act are: accessing Federal facilities, entering nuclear power plants, and, boarding federally regulated commercial aircraft.

Texas has been aggressively reaching out to those customers whose driver license, commercial driver license or identification card will expire after the October 2020 deadline in order to ensure that they have access to a REAL ID compliant card if they want one. 

Summary:
The Department is committed to providing notifications to customers to ensure they are able to have access to a REAL ID compliant card by the deadline, if they are interested in having one.  

REAL ID FAQs
Link to FAQs on DPS website: https://www.dps.texas.gov/DriverLicense/federalRealIdAct.htm

Additional FAQs
Is it true that all persons conducting a transaction need a birth certificate?
Not in Texas. In some states, they never collected REAL ID documentation so they are making all customers bring proof of citizenship, like a birth certificate.

In Texas, customers are receiving customized letters that indicate what documentation they still need to bring.

When do customers not need to show a birth certificate?
When it is already on file, or when they have a different document available that proves citizenship, like a U.S. passport.

How will customers know if they need to show a birth certificate?
In their customized letter, it will let them know if they need to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.

What if a customer doesn’t have access to their birth certificate?
If the customer was issued a birth certificate and we don’t have it on file, they will need to provide it, or provide other proof of citizenship, like a U.S. Passport.

What if a customer never had a birth certificate?
If a customer never had a birth certificate, they have to present proof from DSHS that they never received one. Then DPS officials can work with the customer to see that proof they do have of their birth, like a baptismal certificate or midwife documentation. These customers can email DPS at [email protected] to discuss what alternatives they may have.

District Office:  936-628-6687
10501 Hwy 150, Suite B
Shepherd, TX  77371

P.O. Box 1116
Shepherd, TX  77371

 

Capitol Office:  512-463-0056
1100 Congress Avenue, E2.812
Austin, TX  78701

P.O. Box 2910 
Austin, TX  78768