| 6 | 4 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 5 | | relating to the issuance of specialty license plates for persons |
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| 8 | 6 | | who are deaf or hard of hearing and to deaf or hard of hearing driver |
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| 9 | 7 | | training for peace officers; authorizing a fee. |
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| 10 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 504, Transportation Code, |
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| 12 | 10 | | is amended by adding Section 504.204 to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 11 | | Sec. 504.204. PERSONS WHO ARE DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING. |
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| 14 | 12 | | (a) In this section, "deaf" and "hard of hearing" have the |
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| 15 | 13 | | meanings assigned by Section 81.001, Human Resources Code. |
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| 16 | 14 | | (b) The department shall design and issue specialty license |
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| 17 | 15 | | plates for a motor vehicle that is regularly operated by a person |
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| 18 | 16 | | who is deaf or hard of hearing. A license plate issued under this |
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| 19 | 17 | | section must include an emblem indicating that the person operating |
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| 20 | 18 | | the vehicle is deaf or hard of hearing. |
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| 21 | 19 | | (c) The initial application for specialty license plates |
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| 22 | 20 | | under this section must be accompanied by a written statement from a |
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| 23 | 21 | | physician who is licensed to practice medicine in this state or in a |
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| 24 | 22 | | state adjacent to this state or who is authorized by applicable law |
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| 25 | 23 | | to practice medicine in a hospital or other health facility of the |
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| 26 | 24 | | Department of Veterans Affairs. The statement must certify that |
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| 27 | 25 | | the person making the application is deaf or hard of hearing. |
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| 28 | 26 | | (d) The fee for a set of license plates issued under this |
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| 29 | 27 | | section is $8. |
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| 30 | 28 | | SECTION 2. Section 1701.253, Occupations Code, is amended |
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| 31 | 29 | | by adding Subsection (l) to read as follows: |
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| 32 | 30 | | (l) As part of the minimum curriculum requirements, the |
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| 33 | 31 | | commission shall establish a statewide comprehensive education and |
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| 34 | 32 | | training program on procedures for interacting with drivers who are |
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| 35 | 33 | | deaf or hard of hearing, as defined by Section 81.001, Human |
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| 36 | 34 | | Resources Code, including identifying specialty license plates |
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| 37 | 35 | | issued to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing under Section |
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| 38 | 36 | | 504.204, Transportation Code. An officer shall complete a program |
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| 39 | 37 | | established under this subsection not later than the second |
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| 40 | 38 | | anniversary of the date the officer is licensed under this chapter |
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| 41 | 39 | | or the date the officer applies for an intermediate proficiency |
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| 42 | 40 | | certificate, whichever date is earlier. |
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| 43 | 41 | | SECTION 3. Not later than March 1, 2016, the Texas |
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| 44 | 42 | | Commission on Law Enforcement shall establish the deaf or hard of |
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| 45 | 43 | | hearing driver training program as required by Section 1701.253(l), |
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| 46 | 44 | | Occupations Code, as added by this Act. |
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| 47 | 45 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect January 1, 2016. |
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| 46 | + | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 47 | + | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 48 | + | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1987 passed the Senate on |
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| 49 | + | May 5, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
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| 50 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 51 | + | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 52 | + | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1987 passed the House on |
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| 53 | + | May 22, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 134, Nays 6, two |
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| 54 | + | present not voting. |
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| 55 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 56 | + | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 57 | + | Approved: |
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| 58 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 59 | + | Date |
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| 60 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 61 | + | Governor |
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