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Committee advances bill allowing updated driver licenses after corrective eye surgery without in‑person visit
Summary
House Bill 647 would permit drivers who obtain corrective eye surgery to submit physician verification to the Department of Public Safety by mail or email and receive a replacement license removing the corrective‑lens restriction without an in‑person visit. The committee reported the bill after brief discussion about implementation costs.
The Senate Committee on Transportation reported House Bill 647, which would allow persons who have undergone corrective eye surgery and no longer require corrective lenses to obtain an updated driver license without an in‑person visit.
Under the bill as explained to the committee, a licensed physician would send verification to the Department of Public Safety (DPS) by mail or email that the driver no longer requires corrective lenses; DPS would then supply the driver a replacement license that removes the corrective‑lens restriction. The driver would still be required to provide the physician letter and pay the appropriate license fee.
Committee members noted a fiscal note attached to the bill, describing programming and system costs estimated at roughly $3.1 million to establish the electronic intake and issuance system. Senator Hagenboo and committee staff discussed an agency estimate that the change could reduce in‑person visits to DPS: using a national estimate of LASIK surgeries and the state’s population share, proponents suggested the rule change could eliminate tens of thousands of in‑person visits, though the committee record showed the fiscal note remained as stated.
No public testimony in opposition was recorded. The committee reported the bill favorably to the full Senate by a recorded committee vote of 7‑0 (clerk recorded 7 ayes, no nays during the vote sequence) and recommended it be passed and printed.
The measure would change DPS procedures for license updates following corrective eye surgery and requires DPS to establish a system to receive physician notifications if the bill becomes law.
