| 1 | 1 | | 88R6176 MZM-D |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | By: Blanco, Campbell S.B. No. 653 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | relating to certain offenses regarding parking privileges of |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | veterans with disabilities. |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Section 681.011, Transportation Code, is amended |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | by adding Subsections (m), (n), and (o) to read as follows: |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | (m) Subsections (n) and (o) apply only to a person who |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | commits an offense under Subsection (b) when the vehicle: |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | (1) displays special license plates issued under |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | Section 504.202 other than special license plates issued under |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | Section 504.202(b-1); and |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | (2) does not display a disabled parking placard. |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | (n) Notwithstanding Subsections (g)-(k), an offense |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | described by Subsection (m) is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | not less than $25 or more than $200 or not more than 10 hours of |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | community service, except that: |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | (1) if the person has previously been convicted one |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | time of an offense described by Subsection (m) or received a |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | dismissal under Subsection (o), the offense is punishable by: |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | (A) a fine of not less than $200 or more than |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | $400; or |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | (B) not less than 10 hours or more than 20 hours |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | of community service; and |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | (2) if the person has previously been convicted two |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | times of an offense described by Subsection (m) or if the person has |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | previously received a dismissal under Subsection (o) and previously |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | been convicted one time of an offense described by Subsection (m), |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | the offense is punishable by: |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | (A) a fine of not less than $400 or more than |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | $750; or |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | (B) not less than 20 hours or more than 30 hours |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | of community service. |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | (o) The court shall dismiss a charge for an offense |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | described by Subsection (m) if the person: |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | (1) has not been previously convicted of an offense |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | described by that subsection; |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | (2) has not previously received a dismissal under this |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | subsection; and |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | (3) submits an application for a specialty license |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | plate that includes the symbol described by Section 504.201(f) |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | within six months after the date the person was charged with the |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | offense. |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For |
|---|
| 53 | 53 | | purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the |
|---|
| 54 | 54 | | effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred |
|---|
| 55 | 55 | | before that date. |
|---|
| 56 | 56 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
|---|