Bill would permit digital display as proof
A bill filed by Texas Rep. Terry Canales (D-Edinburg) is gaining attention ahead of the legislative session.
House Bill 547 would amend the Texas Parks and Wildlife Code to allow Texas hunters and fishermen to show their license to a Texas Game Warden digitally on a smart phone.
The bill’s provisions are similar to the way a digital insurance card is accepted by law enforcement.
The bill does not seek to do away with paper licenses, but would give license holders a more advanced digital option when presenting proof of their license to law enforcement.
The text of the bill includes that a person may present for the purpose of verification of possession of a hunting license an image displayed on a wireless communication device. The image may be either information from the website of the department or a photograph of a hunting license.
Other provisions of HB 547 provide the showing of the license on a wireless communication device does not constitute effective consent for the law enforcement officer to access the contents of the device except to view the license information; the showing of the device does not prevent a court from requiring the person to present the paper copy of the license; and the telecommunications provider would not be liable to the holder of a license for the failure of a device to display the license.
Canales’ biography includes that the representative is “an avid lifelong hunter, fisherman and member of the Coastal Conservation Association” and that “His love of the outdoors has given him a unique insight into the ever-growing hunting, fishing, and birding industry, which has become a driving force of the Texas economy.”
The representative is also considering introducing similar legislation regarding the presentation of driver’s licenses.
