By Kuempel H.B. No. 1785
74R6284 MI-F
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to certain Parks and Wildlife Department admissions fees,
1-3 license requirements, and exemptions.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 13.018, Parks and Wildlife Code, is
1-6 amended by amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsection
1-7 (d) to read as follows:
1-8 (a) The following people may apply to the department for a
1-9 state parklands passport:
1-10 (1) a resident of this state who has resided in the
1-11 state for six consecutive months preceding the date of application
1-12 for a parklands passport, a member of the United States armed
1-13 forces on active duty in this state, or any other individual in a
1-14 category that the commission by rule designates as a resident of
1-15 this state <person> who is 65 years old or over; and
1-16 (2) a veteran of the armed services of the United
1-17 States who, as a result of military service, has a
1-18 service-connected disability, as defined by the Veterans'
1-19 Administration, consisting of the loss of the use of a lower
1-20 extremity or of a 60 percent disability rating and who is receiving
1-21 compensation from the United States because of the disability.
1-22 (c) The holder of a state parklands passport issued on or
1-23 before August 31, 1995, a person whose birth date is before
1-24 September 1, 1930, or a veteran described by Subsection (a)(2) is
2-1 entitled to enter any state park without payment of an entrance or
2-2 admission fee. When a fee is charged by the department for
2-3 entrance of a vehicle into a state park, the vehicle of the holder
2-4 of a state parklands passport is exempt from the fee when the
2-5 holder is present.
2-6 (d) A resident of this state issued an initial state
2-7 parklands passport after August 31, 1995, may enter any state park
2-8 on payment of 50 percent of the regular entrance or admission fee,
2-9 rounded to the nearest lower whole dollar. When a fee is charged
2-10 by the department for entrance of a vehicle into a state park, the
2-11 vehicle of the holder of an initial state parklands passport may
2-12 enter any state park on payment of 50 percent of the regular
2-13 vehicle entrance fee, rounded to the nearest lower whole dollar
2-14 when the holder is present.
2-15 SECTION 2. Section 46.002(a), Parks and Wildlife Code, is
2-16 amended to read as follows:
2-17 (a) A license issued under this chapter is not required of a
2-18 person:
2-19 (1) whose birth date is before September 1, 1930
2-20 <under 17 years old>;
2-21 (2) who <65 years old or older if the person> is a
2-22 <resident or, if a> nonresident, if the person's birth date is
2-23 before September 1, 1930, and the person's state of residence
2-24 grants a similar age exemption to Texas residents;
2-25 (3) who is mentally disabled and who is engaging in
2-26 recreational fishing as part of medically approved therapy, and who
2-27 is fishing under the immediate supervision of personnel approved or
3-1 employed by a hospital, residence, or school for mentally disabled
3-2 persons; or
3-3 (4) who is participating in an event that is sponsored
3-4 or co-sponsored by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department with the
3-5 approval of the Executive Director.
3-6 SECTION 3. Section 46.004, Parks and Wildlife Code, is
3-7 amended to read as follows:
3-8 Sec. 46.004. License Fees. (a) The resident fishing
3-9 license fee is $8 or an amount set by the commission, whichever
3-10 amount is more.
3-11 (b) The commission may establish a lower fee or waive the
3-12 fee or license requirement for a resident <person> who has a
3-13 commercial fishing license of this state, who is blind as defined
3-14 by Section 94.001, Human Resources Code, <or> who is a disabled
3-15 veteran, who is under 17 years old, who is 65 years old or over, or
3-16 who is participating in an event of which the department, with the
3-17 approval of the director, is a sponsor. "Disabled veteran" has the
3-18 meaning given to that term by Subsection (c) of Section 42.012 of
3-19 this code.
3-20 (c) <(b)> The department may issue a lifetime resident
3-21 fishing license to residents of this state. The fee for this
3-22 license is $300 or an amount set by the commission, whichever
3-23 amount is more.
3-24 (d) <(c)> The nonresident or alien fishing license fee is
3-25 $15 or an amount set by the commission, whichever amount is more.
3-26 (e) <(d)> The commission may establish collection and
3-27 issuance fees for licenses and tags issued under this chapter <The
4-1 license deputy issuing the license may retain 50 cents as a fee for
4-2 collecting the license fee and issuing the license>.
4-3 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
4-4 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the
4-5 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
4-6 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
4-7 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-8 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.