Bill Text: TX SB792 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to specialty license plates and parking placards for vehicles of certain disabled veterans.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-1)
Status: (Passed) 2021-05-24 - See remarks for effective date [SB792 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-SB792-Enrolled.html
S.B. No. 792 |
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relating to specialty license plates and parking placards for | ||
vehicles of certain disabled veterans. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 502.410(b), Transportation Code, is | ||
amended to read as follows: | ||
(b) Subsection (a) does not apply to a statement or | ||
application filed or given under Section 502.060, 502.092, 502.093, | ||
502.094, 502.095, 504.201, 504.202(b-1), 504.508, or 504.515. | ||
SECTION 2. Section 504.202, Transportation Code, is amended | ||
by adding Subsections (b-1), (b-2), and (k) and amending | ||
Subsections (g) and (j) to read as follows: | ||
(b-1) A person described by Subsection (b) who is eligible | ||
to receive license plates under Section 504.201 may elect to | ||
receive license plates under this section that include the symbol | ||
described by Section 504.201(f). The initial application for | ||
license plates under this subsection must be accompanied by: | ||
(1) the written statement required by Section | ||
504.201(d), unless the applicant is an organization described by | ||
Subsection (b-2); and | ||
(2) any other information required for an application | ||
under this section. | ||
(b-2) An organization that registers a motor vehicle under | ||
Subsection (c) may elect to receive license plates under Subsection | ||
(b-1) if the vehicle regularly transports veterans who are eligible | ||
to receive license plates under Subsection (b-1). The department | ||
shall adopt rules prescribing satisfactory proof of eligibility | ||
under this subsection. | ||
(g) A person who receives license plates under Subsection | ||
(b-1) [ |
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Section 681.004 for each set of license plates [ |
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(j) A person entitled to license plates under this section | ||
may instead use, for a vehicle that meets the requirements of | ||
Section 504.501 or 504.502, disabled veteran license plates issued | ||
by this state that [ |
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(1) are embossed with an alphanumeric pattern; | ||
(2) are of a plate design that was issued in the same | ||
year as the model year of the vehicle; [ |
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(3) are approved for use by the department; and | ||
(4) include the symbol described by Section | ||
504.201(f), if the person satisfies the requirements for the | ||
issuance of license plates under Subsection (b-1) and elects to | ||
include the symbol on the plates. | ||
(k) A reference in law to license plates issued under | ||
Subsection (b-1) includes disabled veteran license plates | ||
described by Subsection (j)(4). | ||
SECTION 3. Section 681.004(a), Transportation Code, is | ||
amended to read as follows: | ||
(a) A person with a permanent disability may receive: | ||
(1) two disabled parking placards, if the person does | ||
not receive a set of special license plates under Section 504.201; | ||
(2) one disabled parking placard, if the person | ||
receives a set of special license plates under Section 504.201; or | ||
(3) two disabled parking placards, if the person | ||
receives two sets of special license plates under Section | ||
504.202(b-1) [ |
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SECTION 4. Section 681.008(a), Transportation Code, is | ||
amended to read as follows: | ||
(a) A vehicle may be parked for an unlimited period in a | ||
parking space or area that is designated specifically for persons | ||
with physical disabilities if [ |
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(1) the vehicle [ |
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(A) [ |
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[ |
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under Section 504.202(b-1) [ |
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(B) is being operated by or for the | ||
transportation of the person to whom the plates were issued; or | ||
(2) the vehicle displays license plates issued by | ||
another state of the United States that indicate on the face of the | ||
license plates that the owner or operator of the vehicle is a | ||
disabled veteran of the United States armed forces. | ||
SECTION 5. Section 681.009(e), Transportation Code, is | ||
amended to read as follows: | ||
(e) Parking spaces or areas designated for the exclusive use | ||
of vehicles transporting persons with disabilities may be used by | ||
vehicles displaying a white on blue shield disabled parking | ||
placard, license plates issued under Section 504.201 or | ||
504.202(b-1) [ |
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placard. | ||
SECTION 6. Sections 681.011(a), (b), and (l), | ||
Transportation Code, are amended to read as follows: | ||
(a) A person commits an offense if: | ||
(1) the person stands a vehicle on which are displayed | ||
license plates issued under Section 504.201 or 504.202(b-1) | ||
[ |
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designated specifically for persons with disabilities by: | ||
(A) a political subdivision; or | ||
(B) a person who owns or controls private | ||
property used for parking as to which a political subdivision has | ||
provided for the application of this section under Subsection (f); | ||
and | ||
(2) the standing of the vehicle in that parking space | ||
or area is not authorized by Section 681.006, 681.007, or 681.008. | ||
(b) A person commits an offense if the person stands a | ||
vehicle on which license plates issued under Section 504.201 or | ||
504.202(b-1) [ |
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placard is not displayed in a parking space or area designated | ||
specifically for individuals with disabilities by: | ||
(1) a political subdivision; or | ||
(2) a person who owns or controls private property | ||
used for parking as to which a political subdivision has provided | ||
for the application of this section under Subsection (f). | ||
(l) A person commits an offense if the person: | ||
(1) stands a vehicle on which are displayed license | ||
plates issued under Section 504.201 or 504.202(b-1) or a disabled | ||
parking placard in a parking space or area for which this chapter | ||
creates an exemption from payment of a fee or penalty imposed by a | ||
governmental unit; | ||
(2) does not have a disability; | ||
(3) is not transporting a person with disability; and | ||
(4) does not pay any applicable fee related to | ||
standing in the space or area imposed by a governmental unit or | ||
exceeds a limitation on the length of time for standing in the space | ||
or area. | ||
SECTION 7. Not later than December 1, 2021, the Texas | ||
Department of Motor Vehicles shall adopt rules for issuing | ||
specialty license plates under Section 504.202(b-1), | ||
Transportation Code, as added by this Act. | ||
SECTION 8. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to | ||
an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. An | ||
offense committed before the effective date of this Act is governed | ||
by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, and the | ||
former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of | ||
this section, an offense was committed before the effective date of | ||
this Act if any element of the offense occurred before that date. | ||
SECTION 9. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this | ||
section, this Act takes effect January 1, 2022. | ||
(b) Section 7 of this Act takes effect September 1, 2021. | ||
______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 792 passed the Senate on | ||
April 8, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Secretary of the Senate | ||
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 792 passed the House on | ||
May 8, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 138, Nays 1, two present | ||
not voting. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||
Approved: | ||
______________________________ | ||
Date | ||
______________________________ | ||
Governor |