Section 32.091

Title IV EXECUTIVE BRANCH

Chapter 32

Effective - 28 Aug 2001, 2 histories   

  32.091.  Definitions — disclosure of individual motor vehicle records, when — certain disclosures prohibited without express consent — disclosure pursuant to United States law — disclosure for purposes of public safety — certain information not to be collected, when. — 1.  As used in sections 32.090 and 32.091, the following terms mean:

  (1)  "Motor vehicle record", any record that pertains to a motor vehicle operator's permit, motor vehicle title, motor vehicle registration or identification card issued by the department of revenue;

  (2)  "Person", an individual, organization or entity, but does not include a state or agency thereof;

  (3)  "Personal information", information that identifies an individual, including an individual's photograph, Social Security number, driver identification number, name, address, but not the five-digit zip code, telephone number, and medical or disability information, but does not include information on vehicular accidents, driving violations and driver's status.

  2.  The department of revenue may disclose individual motor vehicle records pursuant to Section 2721(b)(11) of Title 18 of the United States Code and may disclose motor vehicle records in bulk pursuant to Section 2721(b)(12) of Title 18 of the United States Code, as amended by Public Law 106-69, Section 350, only if the department has obtained the express consent of the person to whom such personal information pertains.

  3.  Notwithstanding any other provisions of law to the contrary, the department of revenue shall not disseminate a person's driver's license photograph, Social Security number and medical or disability information from a motor vehicle record, as defined in Section 2725(1) of Title 18 of the United States Code without the express consent of the person to whom such information pertains, except for uses permitted under Sections 2721(b)(1), 2721(b)(4), 2721(b)(6) and 2721(b)(9) of Title 18 of the United States Code.

  4.  The department of revenue shall disclose any motor vehicle record or personal information permitted to be disclosed pursuant to Sections 2721(b)(1) to 2721(b)(10) and 2721(b)(13) to 2721(b)(14) of Title 18 of the United States Code except for the personal information described in subsection 3 of this section.

  5.  Pursuant to Section 2721(b)(14) of Title 18 of the United States Code, any person who has a purpose to disseminate to the public a newspaper, book, magazine, broadcast or other similar form of public communication, including dissemination by computer or other electronic means, may request the department to provide individual or bulk motor vehicle records, such dissemination being related to the operation of a motor vehicle or to public safety.  Upon receipt of such request, the department shall release the requested motor vehicle records.

  6.  This section is not intended to limit media access to any personal information when such access is provided by agencies or entities in the interest of public safety and is otherwise authorized by law.

  7.  The department of revenue shall not collect from persons applying for any driver's license issued by the department any information by which such persons can be individually identified, unless the department has specific statutory authorization to collect such information; nor shall the department of revenue include on any driver's license, in print, magnetic, digital, or any other format, any information by which an individual may be identified, unless the department has specific statutory authorization to include such information.

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(L. 1997 S.B. 19 § 2, A.L. 2000 H.B. 1797, A.L. 2001 H.B. 897 merged with S.B. 540)