Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB792 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	S.B. No. 792
	1	+	By: Campbell, et al. S.B. No. 792
	2	+	(Cortez)
2	3
3	4
	5	+	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
4	6		AN ACT
5	7		relating to specialty license plates and parking placards for
6	8		vehicles of certain disabled veterans.
7	9		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
8	10		SECTION 1. Section 502.410(b), Transportation Code, is
9	11		amended to read as follows:
10	12		(b) Subsection (a) does not apply to a statement or
11	13		application filed or given under Section 502.060, 502.092, 502.093,
12	14		502.094, 502.095, 504.201, 504.202(b-1), 504.508, or 504.515.
13	15		SECTION 2. Section 504.202, Transportation Code, is amended
14	16		by adding Subsections (b-1), (b-2), and (k) and amending
15	17		Subsections (g) and (j) to read as follows:
16	18		(b-1) A person described by Subsection (b) who is eligible
17	19		to receive license plates under Section 504.201 may elect to
18	20		receive license plates under this section that include the symbol
19	21		described by Section 504.201(f). The initial application for
20	22		license plates under this subsection must be accompanied by:
21	23		(1) the written statement required by Section
22	24		504.201(d), unless the applicant is an organization described by
23	25		Subsection (b-2); and
24	26		(2) any other information required for an application
25	27		under this section.
26	28		(b-2) An organization that registers a motor vehicle under
27	29		Subsection (c) may elect to receive license plates under Subsection
28	30		(b-1) if the vehicle regularly transports veterans who are eligible
29	31		to receive license plates under Subsection (b-1). The department
30	32		shall adopt rules prescribing satisfactory proof of eligibility
31	33		under this subsection.
32	34		(g) A person who receives license plates under Subsection
33	35		(b-1) [this section] may receive a disabled parking placard under
34	36		Section 681.004 for each set of license plates [without providing
35	37		additional documentation].
36	38		(j) A person entitled to license plates under this section
37	39		may instead use, for a vehicle that meets the requirements of
38	40		Section 504.501 or 504.502, disabled veteran license plates issued
39	41		by this state that [are]:
40	42		(1) are embossed with an alphanumeric pattern;
41	43		(2) are of a plate design that was issued in the same
42	44		year as the model year of the vehicle; [and]
43	45		(3) are approved for use by the department; and
44	46		(4) include the symbol described by Section
45	47		504.201(f), if the person satisfies the requirements for the
46	48		issuance of license plates under Subsection (b-1) and elects to
47	49		include the symbol on the plates.
48	50		(k) A reference in law to license plates issued under
49	51		Subsection (b-1) includes disabled veteran license plates
50	52		described by Subsection (j)(4).
51	53		SECTION 3. Section 681.004(a), Transportation Code, is
52	54		amended to read as follows:
53	55		(a) A person with a permanent disability may receive:
54	56		(1) two disabled parking placards, if the person does
55	57		not receive a set of special license plates under Section 504.201;
56	58		(2) one disabled parking placard, if the person
57	59		receives a set of special license plates under Section 504.201; or
58	60		(3) two disabled parking placards, if the person
59	61		receives two sets of special license plates under Section
60	62		504.202(b-1) [504.202].
61	63		SECTION 4. Section 681.008(a), Transportation Code, is
62	64		amended to read as follows:
63	65		(a) A vehicle may be parked for an unlimited period in a
64	66		parking space or area that is designated specifically for persons
65	67		with physical disabilities if [the vehicle]:
66	68		(1) the vehicle [is being operated by or for the
67	69		transportation of]:
68	70		(A) [the person who registered the vehicle under
69	71		Section 504.202(a) or a person described by Section 504.202(b) if
70	72		the vehicle is registered under that subsection; and
71	73		[(B)] displays special license plates issued
72	74		under Section 504.202(b-1) [504.202]; and
73	75		(B) is being operated by or for the
74	76		transportation of the person to whom the plates were issued; or
75	77		(2) the vehicle displays license plates issued by
76	78		another state of the United States that indicate on the face of the
77	79		license plates that the owner or operator of the vehicle is a
78	80		disabled veteran of the United States armed forces.
79	81		SECTION 5. Section 681.009(e), Transportation Code, is
80	82		amended to read as follows:
81	83		(e) Parking spaces or areas designated for the exclusive use
82	84		of vehicles transporting persons with disabilities may be used by
83	85		vehicles displaying a white on blue shield disabled parking
84	86		placard, license plates issued under Section 504.201 or
85	87		504.202(b-1) [504.202], or a white on red shield disabled parking
86	88		placard.
87	89		SECTION 6. Sections 681.011(a), (b), and (l),
88	90		Transportation Code, are amended to read as follows:
89	91		(a) A person commits an offense if:
90	92		(1) the person stands a vehicle on which are displayed
91	93		license plates issued under Section 504.201 or 504.202(b-1)
92	94		[504.202] or a disabled parking placard in a parking space or area
93	95		designated specifically for persons with disabilities by:
94	96		(A) a political subdivision; or
95	97		(B) a person who owns or controls private
96	98		property used for parking as to which a political subdivision has
97	99		provided for the application of this section under Subsection (f);
98	100		and
99	101		(2) the standing of the vehicle in that parking space
100	102		or area is not authorized by Section 681.006, 681.007, or 681.008.
101	103		(b) A person commits an offense if the person stands a
102	104		vehicle on which license plates issued under Section 504.201 or
103	105		504.202(b-1) [504.202] are not displayed and a disabled parking
104	106		placard is not displayed in a parking space or area designated
105	107		specifically for individuals with disabilities by:
106	108		(1) a political subdivision; or
107	109		(2) a person who owns or controls private property
108	110		used for parking as to which a political subdivision has provided
109	111		for the application of this section under Subsection (f).
110	112		(l) A person commits an offense if the person:
111	113		(1) stands a vehicle on which are displayed license
112	114		plates issued under Section 504.201 or 504.202(b-1) or a disabled
113	115		parking placard in a parking space or area for which this chapter
114	116		creates an exemption from payment of a fee or penalty imposed by a
115	117		governmental unit;
116	118		(2) does not have a disability;
117	119		(3) is not transporting a person with disability; and
118	120		(4) does not pay any applicable fee related to
119	121		standing in the space or area imposed by a governmental unit or
120	122		exceeds a limitation on the length of time for standing in the space
121	123		or area.
122	124		SECTION 7. Not later than December 1, 2021, the Texas
123	125		Department of Motor Vehicles shall adopt rules for issuing
124	126		specialty license plates under Section 504.202(b-1),
125	127		Transportation Code, as added by this Act.
126	128		SECTION 8. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
127	129		an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. An
128	130		offense committed before the effective date of this Act is governed
129	131		by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, and the
130	132		former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of
131	133		this section, an offense was committed before the effective date of
132	134		this Act if any element of the offense occurred before that date.
133	135		SECTION 9. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this
134	136		section, this Act takes effect January 1, 2022.
135	137		(b) Section 7 of this Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
136		-	______________________________ ______________________________
137		-	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
138		-	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 792 passed the Senate on
139		-	April 8, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0.
140		-	______________________________
141		-	Secretary of the Senate
142		-	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 792 passed the House on
143		-	May 8, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 138, Nays 1, two present
144		-	not voting.
145		-	______________________________
146		-	Chief Clerk of the House
147		-	Approved:
148		-	______________________________
149		-	Date
150		-	______________________________
151		-	Governor