This bill repeals the Driver Responsibility Program (DRP) and all associated fees. The DRP contributed significantly to driver’s license suspension for unpaid fines and fees in Texas – as of January 2018, 1.4 million Texans had suspended licenses for failure to pay DRP surcharges. The DRP added yearly fees of up to $2,000 on top of traffic tickets, and many Texans ended up with suspended licenses because they didn’t realize the surcharges recurred for 3 years following the ticket.
Previously, the DRP had funded the Texas trauma care system, and the need for an alternate source of funding stymied previous efforts to repeal the DRP. To replace that lost revenue, the bill adds $2 yearly auto insurance fees; increases the state component of traffic fines from $30 to $50; and adds increased fines of up to $6,000 for those who drive while intoxicated. However, the bill does provide that the DUI fines will be waived for indigent defendants.
You can read the full text of the bill here.