| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the penalties for the illegal use of a parking space or |
|
|
area designated specifically for persons with disabilities; |
|
|
increasing criminal fines. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Sections 681.011(g) and (k), Transportation |
|
|
Code, are amended to read as follows: |
|
|
(g) Except as provided by Subsections (h)-(k), an offense |
|
|
under this section is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less |
|
|
than $500 or more than $1,000 [$750]. |
|
|
(k) If it is shown on the trial of an offense under this |
|
|
section that the person has been previously convicted four times of |
|
|
an offense under this section, the offense is punishable by a fine |
|
|
of $1,650 [$1,250] and 50 hours of community service. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Sections 681.011(h), (i), and (j), |
|
|
Transportation Code, as amended by Chapters 1160 (H.B. 3095) and |
|
|
1336 (S.B. 52), Acts of the 81st Legislature, Regular Session, |
|
|
2009, are reenacted and amended to read as follows: |
|
|
(h) If it is shown on the trial of an offense under this |
|
|
section that the person has been previously convicted one time of an |
|
|
offense under this section, the offense is punishable by: |
|
|
(1) a fine of not less than $500 or more than $1,050 |
|
|
[$800]; and |
|
|
(2) 10 hours of community service. |
|
|
(i) If it is shown on the trial of an offense under this |
|
|
section that the person has been previously convicted two times of |
|
|
an offense under this section, the offense is punishable by: |
|
|
(1) a fine of not less than $550 or more than $1,050 |
|
|
[$800]; and |
|
|
(2) 20 hours of community service. |
|
|
(j) If it is shown on the trial of an offense under this |
|
|
section that the person has been previously convicted three times |
|
|
of an offense under this section, the offense is punishable by: |
|
|
(1) a fine of not less than $800 or more than $1,450 |
|
|
[$1,100]; and |
|
|
(2) 30 hours of community service. |
|
|
SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
|
|
to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. |
|
|
An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is |
|
|
governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, |
|
|
and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For |
|
|
purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the |
|
|
effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred |
|
|
before that date. |
|
|
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |