Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1936 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	S.B. No. 1936
	1	+	By: Hughes S.B. No. 1936
	2	+	(Hefner)
2	3
3	4
	5	+	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
4	6		AN ACT
5	7		relating to the issuance of specially marked driver's licenses and
6	8		personal identification certificates to disabled veterans.
7	9		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
8	10		SECTION 1. Section 521.011, Transportation Code, is amended
9	11		to read as follows:
10	12		Sec. 521.011. SERVICES INFORMATION FOR VETERANS. The
11	13		department and the Texas Veterans Commission shall jointly develop
12	14		a one-page informational paper about veterans services provided by
13	15		this state for veterans who receive:
14	16		(1) a driver's license with a designation under
15	17		Section 521.1235; or
16	18		(2) a personal identification certificate with a
17	19		[veteran's] designation under Section 521.102 [a one-page
18	20		informational paper about veterans services provided by this
19	21		state].
20	22		SECTION 2. Section 521.101(l), Transportation Code, is
21	23		amended to read as follows:
22	24		(l) The application for the personal identification
23	25		certificate must provide space for the applicant:
24	26		(1) to voluntarily list any information [military
25	27		service] that may qualify the applicant to receive a personal
26	28		identification certificate with a [veteran's] designation under
27	29		Section 521.102; and
28	30		(2) to include proof required by the department to
29	31		determine the applicant's eligibility to receive that designation.
30	32		SECTION 3. Section 521.102, Transportation Code, is amended
31	33		by amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsections (b-1),
32	34		(d), (e), and (f) to read as follows:
33	35		(a) In this section:
34	36		(1) "Disability rating" has the meaning assigned by
35	37		Section 11.22, Tax Code.
36	38		(2) "Disabled veteran" and[,] "veteran" have the
37	39		meanings assigned by Section 521.1235 [means a person who:
38	40		[(1) has served in:
39	41		[(A) the army, navy, air force, coast guard, or
40	42		marine corps of the United States; or
41	43		[(B) the Texas National Guard as defined by
42	44		Section 431.001, Government Code; and
43	45		[(2) has been honorably discharged from the branch of
44	46		the service in which the person served].
45	47		(b-1) If a disabled veteran provides proof sufficient to the
46	48		department, the department, on request of the disabled veteran,
47	49		shall include on a personal identification certificate issued to
48	50		the disabled veteran in any available space on the face of the
49	51		personal identification certificate or on the reverse side of the
50	52		personal identification certificate:
51	53		(1) a disabled veteran designation; and
52	54		(2) the branch of the service in which the disabled
53	55		veteran served.
54	56		(c) The department shall provide to the recipient of a
55	57		personal identification certificate with a [veteran's] designation
56	58		under this section the informational paper described by Section
57	59		521.011 at the time the certificate is issued.
58	60		(d) Notwithstanding any other law and except as provided by
59	61		Subsection (e), for purposes of obtaining a service or benefit
60	62		available for disabled veterans in this state, a disabled veteran
61	63		may use a personal identification certificate described by
62	64		Subsection (b-1) as satisfactory proof:
63	65		(1) that the disabled veteran has a disability rating
64	66		described by Section 521.1235(a)(2)(A) or (B), as applicable; and
65	67		(2) of branch of service and honorable discharge.
66	68		(e) A personal identification certificate described by
67	69		Subsection (b-1) is not satisfactory proof of the disabled
68	70		veteran's disability rating for purposes of obtaining a property
69	71		tax exemption provided by Chapter 11, Tax Code.
70	72		(f) A disabled veteran who renews a personal identification
71	73		certificate described by Subsection (b-1) shall provide proof
72	74		sufficient to the department of the disabled veteran's disability
73	75		rating.
74	76		SECTION 4. Section 521.1235, Transportation Code, is
75	77		amended by amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsections
76	78		(b-1), (d), (e), and (f) to read as follows:
77	79		(a) In this section:
78	80		(1) "Disability rating" has the meaning assigned by
79	81		Section 11.22, Tax Code.
80	82		(2) "Disabled veteran" means a veteran who has
81	83		suffered a service-connected disability with a disability rating
82	84		of:
83	85		(A) at least 50 percent; or
84	86		(B) 40 percent if the rating is due to the
85	87		amputation of a lower extremity.
86	88		(3) "Veteran"[, "veteran"] means a person who:
87	89		(A) [(1)] has served in:
88	90		(i) [(A)] the army, navy, air force, coast
89	91		guard, or marine corps of the United States; or
90	92		(ii) [(B)] the Texas National Guard as
91	93		defined by Section 437.001, Government Code; and
92	94		(B) [(2)] has been honorably discharged from the
93	95		branch of the service in which the person served.
94	96		(b-1) If a disabled veteran provides proof sufficient to the
95	97		department, the department, on request of the disabled veteran,
96	98		shall include on a driver's license issued to the disabled veteran
97	99		in any available space on the face of the driver's license or on the
98	100		reverse side of the driver's license:
99	101		(1) a disabled veteran designation; and
100	102		(2) the branch of the service in which the disabled
101	103		veteran served.
102	104		(c) The department shall provide to the recipient of a
103	105		driver's license with a [veteran's] designation under this section
104	106		the informational paper described by Section 521.011 at the time
105	107		the license is issued.
106	108		(d) Notwithstanding any other law and except as provided by
107	109		Subsection (e), for purposes of obtaining a service or benefit
108	110		available for disabled veterans in this state, a disabled veteran
109	111		may use a driver's license described by Subsection (b-1) as
110	112		satisfactory proof:
111	113		(1) that the disabled veteran has a disability rating
112	114		described by Subsection (a)(2)(A) or (B), as applicable; and
113	115		(2) of branch of service and honorable discharge.
114	116		(e) A driver's license described by Subsection (b-1) is not
115	117		satisfactory proof of the disabled veteran's disability rating for
116	118		purposes of obtaining a property tax exemption provided by Chapter
117	119		11, Tax Code.
118	120		(f) A disabled veteran who renews a driver's license
119	121		described by Subsection (b-1) shall provide proof sufficient to the
120	122		department of the disabled veteran's disability rating.
121	123		SECTION 5. Section 521.142(i), Transportation Code, is
122	124		amended to read as follows:
123	125		(i) The application must provide space for the applicant:
124	126		(1) to voluntarily list any information [military
125	127		service] that may qualify the applicant to receive a license with a
126	128		[veteran's] designation under Section 521.1235; and
127	129		(2) to include proof required by the department to
128	130		determine the applicant's eligibility to receive that designation.
129	131		SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
130		-	______________________________ ______________________________
131		-	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
132		-	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1936 passed the Senate on
133		-	May 3, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1.
134		-	______________________________
135		-	Secretary of the Senate
136		-	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1936 passed the House on
137		-	May 24, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 143, Nays 3, two
138		-	present not voting.
139		-	______________________________
140		-	Chief Clerk of the House
141		-	Approved:
142		-	______________________________
143		-	Date
144		-	______________________________
145		-	Governor