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

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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

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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.