H.B. No. 1823 AN ACT relating to properly recorded diacritical marks in vital statistics records, driver's licenses, commercial driver's licenses, and personal identification certificates. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 191, Health and Safety Code, is amended by adding Section 191.009 to read as follows: Sec. 191.009. USE OF DIACRITICAL MARKS. (a) In this section, "diacritical mark" means a mark used in Latin script to change the sound of the letter to which it is added or used to distinguish the meaning of the word in which the letter appears. The term includes accents, tildes, graves, umlauts, and cedillas. (b) The state registrar shall ensure that a vital statistics record issued under this title properly records any diacritical mark used in a person's name. SECTION 2. Subchapter F, Chapter 521, Transportation Code, is amended by adding Section 521.127 to read as follows: Sec. 521.127. USE OF DIACRITICAL MARKS. (a) In this section, "diacritical mark" means a mark used in Latin script to change the sound of a letter to which it is added or used to distinguish the meaning of the word in which the letter appears. The term includes accents, tildes, graves, umlauts, and cedillas. (b) The department shall ensure that an original or renewal driver's license or personal identification certificate issued under this chapter properly records any diacritical mark used in a person's name. SECTION 3. Section 522.030, Transportation Code, is amended by adding Subsection (d) to read as follows: (d) The department shall ensure that an original or renewal commercial driver's license or commercial learner's permit issued under this chapter properly records any diacritical mark used in a person's name. In this subsection, "diacritical mark" means a mark used in Latin script to change the sound of a letter to which it is added or used to distinguish the meaning of the word in which the letter appears. The term includes accents, tildes, graves, umlauts, and cedillas. SECTION 4. The change in law made by this Act applies only to a vital statistics record issued by the Department of State Health Services vital statistics unit or a driver's license, personal identification certificate, or commercial driver's license or learner's permit issued or renewed by the Texas Department of Public Safety on or after January 1, 2019. SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. ______________________________ ______________________________ President of the Senate Speaker of the House I certify that H.B. No. 1823 was passed by the House on May 4, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 142, Nays 1, 2 present, not voting; that the House refused to concur in Senate amendments to H.B. No. 1823 on May 26, 2017, and requested the appointment of a conference committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and that the House adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No. 1823 on May 28, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 130, Nays 14, 2 present, not voting. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House I certify that H.B. No. 1823 was passed by the Senate, with amendments, on May 23, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1; at the request of the House, the Senate appointed a conference committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and that the Senate adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No. 1823 on May 28, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays 1. ______________________________ Secretary of the Senate APPROVED: __________________ Date __________________ Governor