Bill Text: TX SB1987 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to the issuance of specialty license plates for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing and to deaf or hard of hearing driver training for peace officers; authorizing a fee.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3)
Status: (Passed) 2015-06-16 - Effective on 1/1/16 [SB1987 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-SB1987-Enrolled.html
| S.B. No. 1987 | ||
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| relating to the issuance of specialty license plates for persons | ||
| who are deaf or hard of hearing and to deaf or hard of hearing driver | ||
| training for peace officers; authorizing a fee. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 504, Transportation Code, | ||
| is amended by adding Section 504.204 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 504.204. PERSONS WHO ARE DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING. | ||
| (a) In this section, "deaf" and "hard of hearing" have the | ||
| meanings assigned by Section 81.001, Human Resources Code. | ||
| (b) The department shall design and issue specialty license | ||
| plates for a motor vehicle that is regularly operated by a person | ||
| who is deaf or hard of hearing. A license plate issued under this | ||
| section must include an emblem indicating that the person operating | ||
| the vehicle is deaf or hard of hearing. | ||
| (c) The initial application for specialty license plates | ||
| under this section must be accompanied by a written statement from a | ||
| physician who is licensed to practice medicine in this state or in a | ||
| state adjacent to this state or who is authorized by applicable law | ||
| to practice medicine in a hospital or other health facility of the | ||
| Department of Veterans Affairs. The statement must certify that | ||
| the person making the application is deaf or hard of hearing. | ||
| (d) The fee for a set of license plates issued under this | ||
| section is $8. | ||
| SECTION 2. Section 1701.253, Occupations Code, is amended | ||
| by adding Subsection (l) to read as follows: | ||
| (l) As part of the minimum curriculum requirements, the | ||
| commission shall establish a statewide comprehensive education and | ||
| training program on procedures for interacting with drivers who are | ||
| deaf or hard of hearing, as defined by Section 81.001, Human | ||
| Resources Code, including identifying specialty license plates | ||
| issued to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing under Section | ||
| 504.204, Transportation Code. An officer shall complete a program | ||
| established under this subsection not later than the second | ||
| anniversary of the date the officer is licensed under this chapter | ||
| or the date the officer applies for an intermediate proficiency | ||
| certificate, whichever date is earlier. | ||
| SECTION 3. Not later than March 1, 2016, the Texas | ||
| Commission on Law Enforcement shall establish the deaf or hard of | ||
| hearing driver training program as required by Section 1701.253(l), | ||
| Occupations Code, as added by this Act. | ||
| SECTION 4. This Act takes effect January 1, 2016. | ||
| ______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
| President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
| I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1987 passed the Senate on | ||
| May 5, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Secretary of the Senate | ||
| I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1987 passed the House on | ||
| May 22, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 134, Nays 6, two | ||
| present not voting. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
| Approved: | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Date | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Governor | ||
