| 1 | 1 | | H.B. No. 2020 |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | relating to parking privileges for veterans with disabilities. |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | SECTION 1. Sections 681.008(a) and (b), Transportation |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | Code, are amended to read as follows: |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | (a) A vehicle may be parked for an unlimited period in a |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | parking space or area that is designated specifically for persons |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | with physical disabilities if[: |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | [(1)] the vehicle: |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | (1) is being operated by or for the transportation of: |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | (A) the person who registered the vehicle under |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | Section 504.202(a)[;] or |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | [(B)] a person described by Section 504.202(b) if |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | the vehicle is registered under that subsection; and |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | (B) displays [(2) there are displayed on the |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | vehicle] special license plates issued under Section 504.202; or |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | (2) displays license plates issued by another state of |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | the United States that indicate on the face of the license plates |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | that the owner or operator of the vehicle is a disabled veteran of |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | the United States armed forces. |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | (b) A vehicle on which license plates described by |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | Subsection (a)(2) or issued under Section 504.202 or Section |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | 504.315(c), (d), (e), or (g) are displayed is exempt from the |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | payment of a parking fee collected through a parking meter charged |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | by a governmental authority other than a branch of the federal |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | government, when being operated by or for the transportation of: |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | (1) the person who registered the vehicle under |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | Section 504.202(a) or Section 504.315(c), (d), (e), or (g); [or] |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | (2) a person described in Section 504.202(b) if the |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | vehicle is registered under that subsection; or |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | (3) the owner or operator of a vehicle displaying |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | license plates described by Subsection (a)(2). |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | to the standing of a vehicle in a parking space or area designated |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | specifically for persons with physical disabilities on or after the |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | effective date of this Act. The standing of a vehicle in a parking |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | space or area designated specifically for persons with physical |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | disabilities before the effective date of this Act is governed by |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | the law in effect on that date, and the former law is continued in |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | effect for that purpose. |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | I certify that H.B. No. 2020 was passed by the House on April |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | 22, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 149, Nays 0, 1 present, not |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | voting. |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | ______________________________ |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | I certify that H.B. No. 2020 was passed by the Senate on May |
|---|
| 53 | 53 | | 12, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
|---|
| 54 | 54 | | ______________________________ |
|---|
| 55 | 55 | | Secretary of the Senate |
|---|
| 56 | 56 | | APPROVED: _____________________ |
|---|
| 57 | 57 | | Date |
|---|
| 58 | 58 | | _____________________ |
|---|
| 59 | 59 | | Governor |
|---|