| 1 | 1 | | 86R11414 JXC-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Martinez H.B. No. 2644 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the notification of a peace officer through an |
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| 8 | 8 | | indication associated with vehicle registration that a person has a |
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| 9 | 9 | | health condition that may impede communication. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 502, Transportation Code, |
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| 12 | 12 | | is amended by adding Section 502.061 to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 502.061. REGISTRATION BY OWNER WITH CONDITION THAT |
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| 14 | 14 | | IMPEDES COMMUNICATION. (a) An application for registration must |
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| 15 | 15 | | provide space for the applicant to voluntarily list any health |
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| 16 | 16 | | condition that may impede communication with a peace officer as |
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| 17 | 17 | | evidenced by: |
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| 18 | 18 | | (1) for a physical health condition, a written |
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| 19 | 19 | | statement from a licensed physician; or |
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| 20 | 20 | | (2) for a mental health condition, a written statement |
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| 21 | 21 | | from a licensed physician, a licensed psychologist, or a |
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| 22 | 22 | | non-physician mental health professional, as defined by Section |
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| 23 | 23 | | 571.003, Health and Safety Code. |
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| 24 | 24 | | (b) The department shall provide to the Department of Public |
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| 25 | 25 | | Safety the vehicle registration information of a person who |
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| 26 | 26 | | voluntarily lists a health condition on an application under |
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| 27 | 27 | | Subsection (a). |
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| 28 | 28 | | (c) The Department of Public Safety shall establish a system |
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| 29 | 29 | | to include information received under Subsection (b) in the Texas |
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| 30 | 30 | | Law Enforcement Telecommunications System for the purpose of |
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| 31 | 31 | | alerting a peace officer who makes a traffic stop that the operator |
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| 32 | 32 | | of the stopped vehicle may have a health condition that may impede |
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| 33 | 33 | | communication. |
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| 34 | 34 | | (d) The department may not issue a license plate with a |
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| 35 | 35 | | visible marking that indicates to the general public that a person |
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| 36 | 36 | | voluntarily listed a health condition on an application under |
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| 37 | 37 | | Subsection (a). |
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| 38 | 38 | | (e) Information supplied to the department relating to an |
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| 39 | 39 | | applicant's health condition is for the confidential use of the |
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| 40 | 40 | | department and the Department of Public Safety and may not be |
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| 41 | 41 | | disclosed to any person. |
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| 42 | 42 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |
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