Bill Text: TX SB661 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to the notification of a peace officer through an indication associated with vehicle registration that the vehicle owner may be transporting a person with a disability.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-02-17 - Referred to Transportation [SB661 Detail]

Download: Texas-2023-SB661-Introduced.html
  88R6064 MZM-D
 
  By: LaMantia S.B. No. 661
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the notification of a peace officer through an
  indication associated with vehicle registration that the vehicle
  owner may be transporting a person with a disability.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 502, Transportation Code,
  is amended by adding Section 502.062 to read as follows:
         Sec. 502.062.  REGISTRATION BY OWNER WHO TRANSPORTS
  PASSENGERS WITH DISABILITIES. (a) In this section, "person with a
  disability" means a person with:
               (1)  a physical, intellectual, behavioral, or
  cognitive impairment;
               (2)  autism; or
               (3)  a health condition or disability that may impede
  effective communication with a peace officer.
         (b)  An application for registration must provide space for
  the applicant to voluntarily indicate that the applicant may
  transport a person with a disability. The department may request
  from a person who makes an indication under this subsection
  verification in the form of a personal attestation.
         (c)  The department shall provide to the Department of Public
  Safety the vehicle registration information of a person who
  voluntarily indicated on an application under Subsection (b) that
  the person may transport a person with a disability. The department
  may not provide to the Department of Public Safety information that
  shows the type of health condition or disability a person has.
         (d)  The Department of Public Safety shall establish a system
  to include information received under Subsection (c) in the Texas
  Law Enforcement Telecommunications System for the purpose of
  alerting a peace officer who makes a traffic stop that the operator
  of the stopped vehicle may be transporting a person with a
  disability.
         (e)  The Department of Public Safety may not make information
  received under Subsection (c) available in the Texas Law
  Enforcement Telecommunications System to a person who has access to
  the system under a contract unless the contract prohibits the
  person from disclosing that information to a person who is not
  subject to the contract.
         (f)  The department may not issue to a person without the
  person's consent a license plate with a visible marking that
  indicates to the general public that the person voluntarily
  indicated on an application under Subsection (b) that the person
  may transport a person with a disability.
         (g)  Except as provided by Subsection (e), information
  supplied to the department relating to a person with a disability is
  for the confidential use of the department and the Department of
  Public Safety and may not be disclosed to any person.
         SECTION 2.  A Department of Public Safety contract that
  allows a person to access the Texas Law Enforcement
  Telecommunications System and that is in effect before the
  effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the
  date on which the contract was entered into, and that law is
  continued in effect for that purpose, except that the contract:
               (1)  continues only for the term of the contract; and
               (2)  may not be renewed unless the renewed contract
  includes the prohibition required by Section 502.062(e),
  Transportation Code, as added by this Act.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
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