Bill Text: TX HB377 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Enrolled

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Bill Title: Relating to the issuance of certain specialty license plates, specially marked driver's licenses, and specially marked personal identification certificates.

Sponsorship: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 15-4)

Status: (Passed) 2017-06-15 - Effective on 9/1/17 [HB377 Detail]

Download: Texas-2017-HB377-Enrolled.html

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H.B. No. 377

AN ACT
relating to the issuance of certain specialty license plates,
specially marked driver's licenses, and specially marked personal
identification certificates.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 504.302, Transportation Code, is amended
by adding Subsection (a-1) and amending Subsection (b) to read as
follows:
(a-1) The surviving spouse of a person who would be eligible
for a specialty license plate under Section 504.308, 504.310,
504.315, 504.316, or 504.319 is entitled to register one vehicle
under the applicable section as long as the spouse remains
unmarried.
(b) An applicant [for registration] under this section must
submit proof of the eligibility of the applicant's deceased spouse
for the applicable specialty license plate.
SECTION 2. Section 504.308, Transportation Code, is amended
to read as follows:
Sec. 504.308. DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS MEDAL RECIPIENTS.
[(a)] The department shall issue specialty license plates for
persons who have received the Distinguished Flying Cross medal and
Distinguished Flying Cross medal with Valor. The license plates
must bear a depiction of the Distinguished Flying Cross medal and
the words "Distinguished Flying Cross" at the bottom of each
license plate. License plates issued under this section to
recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross medal with Valor that
are not personalized must also include the letter "V" as a prefix or
suffix to the numerals on each plate.
SECTION 3. Section 504.317, Transportation Code, is amended
by adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows:
(b-1) A person is eligible to receive specialty license
plates under this section if the person is the surviving spouse of a
person who had been entitled to specialty plates for veterans with
disabilities under Section 504.202, regardless of whether the
deceased spouse was issued plates under that section.
SECTION 4. 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 5. 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 6. Section 521.102, Transportation Code, is amended
by amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsections (b-1),
(d), (e), and (f) to read as follows:
(a) In this section:
(1) "Disability rating" has the meaning assigned by
Section 11.22, Tax Code.
(2) "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 on a personal identification certificate issued to
the disabled veteran in any available space on the face of the
personal identification certificate or on the reverse side of the
personal identification certificate:
(1) a disabled veteran designation; and
(2) the branch of the service in which the disabled
veteran served.
(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.
(d) Notwithstanding any other law and except as provided by
Subsection (e), for purposes of obtaining a service or benefit
available for disabled veterans in this state, a disabled veteran
may use a personal identification certificate described by
Subsection (b-1) as satisfactory proof:
(1) that the disabled veteran has a disability rating
described by Section 521.1235(a)(2)(A) or (B), as applicable; and
(2) of branch of service and honorable discharge.
(e) A personal identification certificate described by
Subsection (b-1) is not satisfactory proof of the disabled
veteran's disability rating for purposes of obtaining a property
tax exemption provided by Chapter 11, Tax Code.
(f) A disabled veteran who renews a personal identification
certificate described by Subsection (b-1) shall provide proof
sufficient to the department of the disabled veteran's disability
rating.
SECTION 7. Section 521.1235, Transportation Code, is
amended by amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsections
(b-1), (d), (e), and (f) to read as follows:
(a) In this section:
(1) "Disability rating" has the meaning assigned by
Section 11.22, Tax Code.
(2) "Disabled veteran" means a veteran who has
suffered a service-connected disability with a disability rating
of:
(A) at least 50 percent; or
(B) 40 percent if the rating is due to the
amputation of a lower extremity.
(3) "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 on a driver's license issued to the disabled veteran
in any available space on the face of the driver's license or on the
reverse side of the driver's license:
(1) a disabled veteran designation; and
(2) the branch of the service in which the disabled
veteran served.
(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.
(d) Notwithstanding any other law and except as provided by
Subsection (e), for purposes of obtaining a service or benefit
available for disabled veterans in this state, a disabled veteran
may use a driver's license described by Subsection (b-1) as
satisfactory proof:
(1) that the disabled veteran has a disability rating
described by Subsection (a)(2)(A) or (B), as applicable; and
(2) of branch of service and honorable discharge.
(e) A driver's license described by Subsection (b-1) is not
satisfactory proof of the disabled veteran's disability rating for
purposes of obtaining a property tax exemption provided by Chapter
11, Tax Code.
(f) A disabled veteran who renews a driver's license
described by Subsection (b-1) shall provide proof sufficient to the
department of the disabled veteran's disability rating.
SECTION 8. 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 9. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 377 was passed by the House on March
29, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 146, Nays 0, 1 present, not
voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
No. 377 on May 26, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 142, Nays 0, 2
present, not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 377 was passed by the Senate, with
amendments, on May 24, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays
0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: __________________
Date
__________________
Governor