Bill Text: TX HB2259 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to the issuance of specially marked driver's licenses and personal identification certificates to disabled veterans.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-03-15 - Referred to Defense & Veterans' Affairs [HB2259 Detail]

Download: Texas-2017-HB2259-Introduced.html

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85R7036 AAF-D
By: Gutierrez H.B. No. 2259

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the issuance of specially marked driver's licenses and
personal identification certificates to disabled veterans.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 521.011, Transportation Code, is amended
to read as follows:
Sec. 521.011. SERVICES INFORMATION FOR VETERANS. The
department and the Texas Veterans Commission shall jointly develop
a one-page informational paper about veterans services provided by
this state for veterans who receive:
(1) a driver's license with a designation under
Section 521.1235; or
(2) a personal identification certificate with a
[veteran's] designation under Section 521.102 [a one-page
informational paper about veterans services provided by this
state].
SECTION 2. Section 521.101(l), Transportation Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(l) The application for the personal identification
certificate must provide space for the applicant:
(1) to voluntarily list any information [military
service] that may qualify the applicant to receive a personal
identification certificate with a [veteran's] designation under
Section 521.102; and
(2) to include proof required by the department to
determine the applicant's eligibility to receive that designation.
SECTION 3. Section 521.102, Transportation Code, is amended
by amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsection (b-1) to
read as follows:
(a) In this section, "disabled veteran" and "veteran" have
the meanings assigned by Section 521.1235 [means a person who:
[(1) has served in:
[(A) the army, navy, air force, coast guard, or
marine corps of the United States; or
[(B) the Texas National Guard as defined by
Section 431.001, Government Code; and
[(2) has been honorably discharged from the branch of
the service in which the person served].
(b-1) If a disabled veteran provides proof sufficient to the
department, the department, on request of the disabled veteran,
shall include the designation "DISABLED VETERAN" on a personal
identification certificate issued to the disabled veteran in an
available space on the face of the personal identification
certificate or on the reverse side of the personal identification
certificate.
(c) The department shall provide to the recipient of a
personal identification certificate with a [veteran's] designation
under this section the informational paper described by Section
521.011 at the time the certificate is issued.
SECTION 4. Section 521.1235, Transportation Code, is
amended by amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsection
(b-1) to read as follows:
(a) In this section:
(1) "Disabled veteran" means a veteran who has
suffered a service-connected disability with a disability rating,
as defined by Section 11.22, Tax Code, of:
(A) at least 50 percent; or
(B) 40 percent if the rating is due to the
amputation of a lower extremity.
(2) "Veteran" [, "veteran"] means a person who:
(A) [(1)] has served in:
(i) [(A)] the army, navy, air force, coast
guard, or marine corps of the United States; or
(ii) [(B)] the Texas National Guard as
defined by Section 437.001, Government Code; and
(B) [(2)] has been honorably discharged from the
branch of the service in which the person served.
(b-1) If a disabled veteran provides proof sufficient to the
department, the department, on request of the disabled veteran,
shall include the designation "DISABLED VETERAN" on a driver's
license issued to the disabled veteran in an available space on the
face of the driver's license or on the reverse side of the driver's
license.
(c) The department shall provide to the recipient of a
driver's license with a [veteran's] designation under this section
the informational paper described by Section 521.011 at the time
the license is issued.
SECTION 5. Section 521.142(i), Transportation Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(i) The application must provide space for the applicant:
(1) to voluntarily list any information [military
service] that may qualify the applicant to receive a license with a
[veteran's] designation under Section 521.1235; and
(2) to include proof required by the department to
determine the applicant's eligibility to receive that designation.
SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.