Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB2001 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	By: King, Hagenbuch S.B. No. 2001
	1	+	By: King S.B. No. 2001
	2	+	(In the Senate - Filed March 6, 2025; March 17, 2025, read
	3	+	first time and referred to Committee on Transportation;
	4	+	April 22, 2025, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
	5	+	Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 8, Nays 0; April 22, 2025,
	6	+	sent to printer.)
	7	+	Click here to see the committee vote
	8	+	COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 2001 By: King
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6	13		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
7	14		AN ACT
8	15		relating to the registration of vehicles, the issuance of disabled
9	16		parking placards, and certain benefits associated with that
10	17		registration or issuance for certain peace officers with
11	18		disabilities; authorizing a fee.
12	19		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
13	20		SECTION 1. The heading to Section 372.053, Transportation
14	21		Code, is amended to read as follows:
15	22		Sec. 372.053. PEACE OFFICER AND VETERAN DISCOUNT PROGRAM.
16	23		SECTION 2. Section 372.053(a-1), Transportation Code, is
17	24		amended to read as follows:
18	25		(a-1) A program established under Subsection (a) must
19	26		include free or discounted use of the entity's toll project by an
20	27		electronic toll collection customer whose account relates to a
21	28		vehicle registered under Section 504.202, 504.2025, or 504.315(f)
22	29		or (g).
23	30		SECTION 3. Section 502.410(b), Transportation Code, as
24	31		effective July 1, 2025, is amended to read as follows:
25	32		(b) Subsection (a) does not apply to a statement or
26	33		application filed or given under Section 502.060, 502.093, 502.094,
27	34		502.095, 504.201, 504.202(b-1), 504.2025(d), 504.508, or 504.515.
28	35		SECTION 4. Subchapter C, Chapter 504, Transportation Code,
29	36		is amended by adding Section 504.2025 to read as follows:
30	37		Sec. 504.2025. PEACE OFFICERS WITH DISABILITIES. (a) In
31	38		this section, "peace officer" means an individual described by
32	39		Article 2A.001, Code of Criminal Procedure.
33	40		(b) A person entitled to specialty license plates under this
34	41		section may register, for the person's own use, one vehicle without
35	42		payment of any fee paid for or at the time of registration except
36	43		the fee for the license plates. Registration under this section is
37	44		valid for one year.
38	45		(c) A peace officer is entitled to register, for the
39	46		person's own use, motor vehicles under this section if:
40	47		(1) the person is disabled as a result of an injury
41	48		suffered during the course and scope of the person's employment as a
42	49		peace officer; and
43	50		(2) the motor vehicle:
44	51		(A) is owned by the person; and
45	52		(B) has a gross vehicle weight of 18,000 pounds
46	53		or less or is a motor home.
47	54		(d) A person described by Subsection (c) who is eligible to
48	55		receive license plates under Section 504.201 may elect to receive
49	56		license plates under this section that include the symbol described
50	57		by Section 504.201(f). The initial application for license plates
51	58		under this subsection must be accompanied by:
52	59		(1) the written statement required by Section
53	60		504.201(d) certifying that the applicant has a mobility problem
54	61		that substantially impairs the person's ability to ambulate;
55	62		(2) a written statement completed by the chief law
56	63		enforcement officer of the law enforcement agency that employed the
57	64		person, certifying that the person is disabled as a result of an
58	65		injury suffered during the course and scope of the person's
59	66		employment as a peace officer; and
60	67		(3) any other information required for an application
61	68		under this section.
62	69		(e) Other than license plates issued under Subsection (h),
63	70		license plates issued under this section must include:
64	71		(1) the letters "DPO" on the plate if the plate is
65	72		issued for a vehicle other than a motorcycle; and
66	73		(2) the words "Disabled Peace Officer" at the bottom
67	74		of each license plate.
68	75		(f) The fee for the first set of license plates is $3. There
69	76		is no fee for each additional set of license plates.
70	77		(g) A person who receives license plates under Subsection
71	78		(d) may receive a disabled parking placard under Section 681.004
72	79		for each set of license plates.
73	80		(h) A person entitled to license plates under this section
74	81		may elect to receive license plates issued under Chapter 502 under
75	82		the same conditions for the issuance of license plates under this
76	83		section.
77	84		(i) A license plate with the letters "DPO" may be
78	85		personalized with up to four characters.
79	86		(j) A person entitled to license plates under this section
80	87		may instead use, for a vehicle that meets the requirements of
81	88		Section 504.501 or 504.502, disabled peace officer license plates
82	89		issued by this state that:
83	90		(1) are embossed with an alphanumeric pattern;
84	91		(2) are of a plate design that was issued in the same
85	92		year as the model year of the vehicle;
86	93		(3) are approved for use by the department; and
87	94		(4) include the symbol described by Section
88	95		504.201(f), if the person satisfies the requirements for the
89	96		issuance of license plates under Subsection (d) and elects to
90	97		include the symbol on the plates.
91	98		(k) A reference in law to license plates issued under
92	99		Subsection (d) includes disabled peace officer license plates
93	100		described by Subsection (j)(4).
94	101		SECTION 5. Section 681.004(a), Transportation Code, is
95	102		amended to read as follows:
96	103		(a) A person with a permanent disability may receive:
97	104		(1) two disabled parking placards, if the person does
98	105		not receive a set of special license plates under Section 504.201;
99	106		(2) one disabled parking placard, if the person
100	107		receives a set of special license plates under Section 504.201; or
101	108		(3) two disabled parking placards, if the person
102	109		receives two sets of special license plates under Section
103	110		504.202(b-1) or 504.2025(d).
104	111		SECTION 6. The heading to Section 681.008, Transportation
105	112		Code, is amended to read as follows:
106	113		Sec. 681.008. PARKING PRIVILEGES: CERTAIN PEACE OFFICERS,
107	114		VETERANS, AND MILITARY AWARD RECIPIENTS.
108	115		SECTION 7. Sections 681.008(a) and (b), Transportation
109	116		Code, are amended to read as follows:
110	117		(a) A vehicle may be parked for an unlimited period in a
111	118		parking space or area that is designated specifically for persons
112	119		with physical disabilities if:
113	120		(1) the vehicle:
114	121		(A) displays special license plates issued under
115	122		Section 504.202(b-1) or 504.2025(d); and
116	123		(B) is being operated by or for the
117	124		transportation of the person to whom the plates were issued; or
118	125		(2) the vehicle displays license plates issued by
119	126		another state of the United States that indicate on the face of the
120	127		license plates that the owner or operator of the vehicle is a
121	128		disabled veteran of the United States armed forces.
122	129		(b) A vehicle on which license plates described by
123	130		Subsection (a)(2) or issued under Section 504.202, 504.2025,
124	131		504.308, 504.310, 504.315, 504.316, or 504.319 are displayed is
125	132		exempt from the payment of a parking fee collected through a parking
126	133		meter charged by a governmental authority other than a branch of the
127	134		federal government, when being operated by or for the
128	135		transportation of:
129	136		(1) the person who registered the vehicle under
130	137		Section 504.202(a), 504.2025(b), 504.308, 504.310, 504.315,
131	138		504.316, or 504.319;
132	139		(2) a person described in Section 504.202(b) or
133	140		504.2025(c) if the vehicle is registered under that subsection; or
134	141		(3) the owner or operator of a vehicle displaying
135	142		license plates described by Subsection (a)(2).
136	143		SECTION 8. Section 681.009(e), Transportation Code, is
137	144		amended to read as follows:
138	145		(e) Parking spaces or areas designated for the exclusive use
139	146		of vehicles transporting persons with disabilities may be used by
140	147		vehicles displaying a white on blue shield disabled parking
141	148		placard, license plates issued under Section 504.201, [or]
142	149		504.202(b-1), or 504.2025(d), or a white on red shield disabled
143	150		parking placard.
144	151		SECTION 9. Sections 681.011(a), (b), (l), and (m),
145	152		Transportation Code, are amended to read as follows:
146	153		(a) A person commits an offense if:
147	154		(1) the person stands a vehicle on which are displayed
148	155		license plates issued under Section 504.201, [or] 504.202(b-1), or
149	156		504.2025(d) or a disabled parking placard in a parking space or area
150	157		designated specifically for persons with disabilities by:
151	158		(A) a political subdivision; or
152	159		(B) a person who owns or controls private
153	160		property used for parking as to which a political subdivision has
154	161		provided for the application of this section under Subsection (f);
155	162		and
156	163		(2) the standing of the vehicle in that parking space
157	164		or area is not authorized by Section 681.006, 681.007, or 681.008.
158	165		(b) A person commits an offense if the person stands a
159	166		vehicle on which license plates issued under Section 504.201, [or]
160	167		504.202(b-1), or 504.2025(d) are not displayed and a disabled
161	168		parking placard is not displayed in a parking space or area
162	169		designated specifically for individuals with disabilities by:
163	170		(1) a political subdivision; or
164	171		(2) a person who owns or controls private property
165	172		used for parking as to which a political subdivision has provided
166	173		for the application of this section under Subsection (f).
167	174		(l) A person commits an offense if the person:
168	175		(1) stands a vehicle on which are displayed license
169	176		plates issued under Section 504.201, [or] 504.202(b-1), or
170	177		504.2025(d) or a disabled parking placard in a parking space or area
171	178		for which this chapter creates an exemption from payment of a fee or
172	179		penalty imposed by a governmental unit;
173	180		(2) does not have a disability;
174	181		(3) is not transporting a person with disability; and
175	182		(4) does not pay any applicable fee related to
176	183		standing in the space or area imposed by a governmental unit or
177	184		exceeds a limitation on the length of time for standing in the space
178	185		or area.
179	186		(m) Subsections (n) and (o) apply only to a person who
180	187		commits an offense under Subsection (b) when the vehicle:
181	188		(1) displays special license plates issued under:
182	189		(A) Section 504.202 other than special license
183	190		plates issued under Section 504.202(b-1); or
184	191		(B) Section 504.2025 other than a special license
185	192		plate issued under Section 504.2025(d); and
186	193		(2) does not display a disabled parking placard.
187	194		SECTION 10. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
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