89R12971 RDR-D
By: King S.B. No. 2001
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the registration of vehicles, the issuance of disabled
parking placards, and certain benefits associated with that
registration or issuance for certain peace officers with
disabilities; authorizing a fee.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. The heading to Section 372.053, Transportation
Code, is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 372.053. PEACE OFFICER AND VETERAN DISCOUNT PROGRAM.
SECTION 2. Section 372.053(a-1), Transportation Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(a-1) A program established under Subsection (a) must
include free or discounted use of the entity's toll project by an
electronic toll collection customer whose account relates to a
vehicle registered under Section 504.202, 504.2025, or 504.315(f)
or (g).
SECTION 3. Section 502.410(b), Transportation Code, as
effective July 1, 2025, is amended to read as follows:
(b) Subsection (a) does not apply to a statement or
application filed or given under Section 502.060, 502.093, 502.094,
502.095, 504.201, 504.202(b-1), 504.2025(d), 504.508, or 504.515.
SECTION 4. Subchapter C, Chapter 504, Transportation Code,
is amended by adding Section 504.2025 to read as follows:
Sec. 504.2025. PEACE OFFICERS WITH DISABILITIES. (a) In
this section, "peace officer" means an individual described by
Article 2A.001, Code of Criminal Procedure.
(b) A person entitled to specialty license plates under this
section may register, for the person's own use, one vehicle without
payment of any fee paid for or at the time of registration except
the fee for the license plates. Registration under this section is
valid for one year.
(c) A peace officer is entitled to register, for the
person's own use, motor vehicles under this section if:
(1) the person is disabled as a result of an injury
suffered during the course and scope of the person's employment as a
peace officer; and
(2) the motor vehicle:
(A) is owned by the person; and
(B) has a gross vehicle weight of 18,000 pounds
or less or is a motor home.
(d) A person described by Subsection (c) who is eligible to
receive license plates under Section 504.201 may elect to receive
license plates under this section that include the symbol described
by Section 504.201(f). The initial application for license plates
under this subsection must be accompanied by:
(1) the written statement required by Section
504.201(d);
(2) a written statement completed by the chief law
enforcement officer of the law enforcement agency that employed the
person, certifying that the person is disabled as a result of an
injury suffered during the course and scope of the person's
employment as a peace officer; and
(3) any other information required for an application
under this section.
(e) Other than license plates issued under Subsection (h),
license plates issued under this section must include:
(1) the letters "DPO" on the plate if the plate is
issued for a vehicle other than a motorcycle; and
(2) the words "Disabled Peace Officer" at the bottom
of each license plate.
(f) The fee for the first set of license plates is $3. There
is no fee for each additional set of license plates.
(g) A person who receives license plates under Subsection
(d) may receive a disabled parking placard under Section 681.004
for each set of license plates.
(h) A person entitled to license plates under this section
may elect to receive license plates issued under Chapter 502 under
the same conditions for the issuance of license plates under this
section.
(i) A license plate with the letters "DPO" may be
personalized with up to four characters.
(j) A person entitled to license plates under this section
may instead use, for a vehicle that meets the requirements of
Section 504.501 or 504.502, disabled peace officer license plates
issued by this state that:
(1) are embossed with an alphanumeric pattern;
(2) are of a plate design that was issued in the same
year as the model year of the vehicle;
(3) are approved for use by the department; and
(4) include the symbol described by Section
504.201(f), if the person satisfies the requirements for the
issuance of license plates under Subsection (d) and elects to
include the symbol on the plates.
(k) A reference in law to license plates issued under
Subsection (d) includes disabled peace officer license plates
described by Subsection (j)(4).
SECTION 5. Section 681.004(a), Transportation Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(a) A person with a permanent disability may receive:
(1) two disabled parking placards, if the person does
not receive a set of special license plates under Section 504.201;
(2) one disabled parking placard, if the person
receives a set of special license plates under Section 504.201; or
(3) two disabled parking placards, if the person
receives two sets of special license plates under Section
504.202(b-1) or 504.2025(d).
SECTION 6. The heading to Section 681.008, Transportation
Code, is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 681.008. PARKING PRIVILEGES: CERTAIN PEACE OFFICERS,
VETERANS, AND MILITARY AWARD RECIPIENTS.
SECTION 7. Sections 681.008(a) and (b), Transportation
Code, are amended to read as follows:
(a) A vehicle may be parked for an unlimited period in a
parking space or area that is designated specifically for persons
with physical disabilities if:
(1) the vehicle:
(A) displays special license plates issued under
Section 504.202(b-1) or 504.2025(d); and
(B) is being operated by or for the
transportation of the person to whom the plates were issued; or
(2) the vehicle displays license plates issued by
another state of the United States that indicate on the face of the
license plates that the owner or operator of the vehicle is a
disabled veteran of the United States armed forces.
(b) A vehicle on which license plates described by
Subsection (a)(2) or issued under Section 504.202, 504.2025,
504.308, 504.310, 504.315, 504.316, or 504.319 are displayed is
exempt from the payment of a parking fee collected through a parking
meter charged by a governmental authority other than a branch of the
federal government, when being operated by or for the
transportation of:
(1) the person who registered the vehicle under
Section 504.202(a), 504.2025(b), 504.308, 504.310, 504.315,
504.316, or 504.319;
(2) a person described in Section 504.202(b) or
504.2025(c) if the vehicle is registered under that subsection; or
(3) the owner or operator of a vehicle displaying
license plates described by Subsection (a)(2).
SECTION 8. Section 681.009(e), Transportation Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(e) Parking spaces or areas designated for the exclusive use
of vehicles transporting persons with disabilities may be used by
vehicles displaying a white on blue shield disabled parking
placard, license plates issued under Section 504.201, [or]
504.202(b-1), or 504.2025(d), or a white on red shield disabled
parking placard.
SECTION 9. Sections 681.011(a), (b), (l), and (m),
Transportation Code, are amended to read as follows:
(a) A person commits an offense if:
(1) the person stands a vehicle on which are displayed
license plates issued under Section 504.201, [or] 504.202(b-1), or
504.2025(d) or a disabled parking placard in a parking space or area
designated specifically for persons with disabilities by:
(A) a political subdivision; or
(B) a person who owns or controls private
property used for parking as to which a political subdivision has
provided for the application of this section under Subsection (f);
and
(2) the standing of the vehicle in that parking space
or area is not authorized by Section 681.006, 681.007, or 681.008.
(b) A person commits an offense if the person stands a
vehicle on which license plates issued under Section 504.201, [or]
504.202(b-1), or 504.2025(d) are not displayed and a disabled
parking placard is not displayed in a parking space or area
designated specifically for individuals with disabilities by:
(1) a political subdivision; or
(2) a person who owns or controls private property
used for parking as to which a political subdivision has provided
for the application of this section under Subsection (f).
(l) A person commits an offense if the person:
(1) stands a vehicle on which are displayed license
plates issued under Section 504.201, [or] 504.202(b-1), or
504.2025(d) or a disabled parking placard in a parking space or area
for which this chapter creates an exemption from payment of a fee or
penalty imposed by a governmental unit;
(2) does not have a disability;
(3) is not transporting a person with disability; and
(4) does not pay any applicable fee related to
standing in the space or area imposed by a governmental unit or
exceeds a limitation on the length of time for standing in the space
or area.
(m) Subsections (n) and (o) apply only to a person who
commits an offense under Subsection (b) when the vehicle:
(1) displays special license plates issued under:
(A) Section 504.202 other than special license
plates issued under Section 504.202(b-1); or
(B) Section 504.2025 other than a special license
plate issued under Section 504.2025(d); and
(2) does not display a disabled parking placard.
SECTION 10. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.