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


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

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 15-4)

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

Download: Texas-2017-HB377-Enrolled.html
 
 
  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       
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