Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas House Bill HB409 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		87R2355 BEE-D
2		-	By: Cortez~~, Pacheco, et al.~~ H.B. No. 409
	2	+	By: Cortez H.B. No. 409
3	3
4	4
5	5		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6		AN ACT
7	7		relating to waivers for entrance fees to state parks and certain
8	8		hunting and fishing license fees for resident first responders.
9	9		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10		SECTION 1. Section 13.015, Parks and Wildlife Code, is
11	11		amended by amending Subsection (a-2) and adding Subsection (a-3) to
12	12		read as follows:
13	13		(a-2) The department shall waive the park entrance fee for
14	14		an individual who is a first responder as defined by Section 42.012
15	15		and who:
16	16		(1) has completed at least 20 years of continuous
17	17		service as a first responder; or
18	18		(2) has a disability connected to service as a first
19	19		responder that consists of the loss of the use of a lower extremity
20	20		or of a disability rating of 50 percent or more.
21	21		(a-3) The department may promote visits and enhance revenue
22	22		at parks, including amounts necessary for salaries, advertising,
23	23		consumable supplies and materials, promotional products, fees, and
24	24		related expenses.
25	25		SECTION 2. Section 42.012, Parks and Wildlife Code, is
26	26		amended by amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (d) to
27	27		read as follows:
28	28		(c) In this section:
29	29		(1) "First responder" means a person who is:
30	30		(A) a firefighter certified by the Texas
31	31		Commission on Fire Protection or by the State Firefighters' and
32	32		Fire Marshals' Association of Texas;
33	33		(B) an individual certified as emergency medical
34	34		services personnel by the Department of State Health Services;
35	35		(C) a municipal police officer;
36	36		(D) a sheriff, deputy sheriff, or reserve deputy
37	37		sheriff; or
38	38		(E) a constable, deputy constable, or reserve
39	39		deputy constable.
40	40		(2) "Qualified disabled veteran" means a veteran with
41	41		a service connected disability, as defined by the United States
42	42		Department of Veterans Affairs, consisting of the loss of the use of
43	43		a lower extremity or of a disability rating of 50 percent or more
44	44		and who is receiving compensation from the United States for the
45	45		disability.
46	46		(d) The commission shall waive the fee or license
47	47		requirement for a resident who is a first responder who:
48	48		(1) has completed at least 20 years of continuous
49	49		service as a first responder; or
50	50		(2) has a disability connected to service as a first
51	51		responder that consists of the loss of the use of a lower extremity
52	52		or of a disability rating of 50 percent or more.
53	53		SECTION 3. Section 46.004(c), Parks and Wildlife Code, is
54	54		amended to read as follows:
55	55		(c) The commission shall waive the fee for:
56	56		(1) a qualified disabled veteran as defined by Section
57	57		42.012;
58	58		(2) [and for] a resident on active duty as a member of
59	59		the United States military forces, the Texas Army National Guard,
60	60		the Texas Air National Guard, or the Texas State Guard; and
61	61		(3) a resident who is a first responder as defined by
62	62		Section 42.012 and who:
63	63		(A) has completed at least 20 years of continuous
64	64		service as a first responder; or
65	65		(B) has a disability connected to service as a
66	66		first responder that consists of the loss of the use of a lower
67	67		extremity or of a disability rating of 50 percent or more.
68	68		SECTION 4. Section 50.002, Parks and Wildlife Code, is
69	69		amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
70	70		(c) The commission shall waive the fee for an annual
71	71		combination resident hunting and fishing license for a resident
72	72		who is a first responder as defined by Section 42.012 and who:
73	73		(1) has completed at least 20 years of continuous
74	74		service as a first responder; or
75	75		(2) has a disability connected to service as a first
76	76		responder that consists of the loss of the use of a lower extremity
77	77		or of a disability rating of 50 percent or more.
78	78		SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.