1-1 By: Kuempel (Senate Sponsor - Armbrister) H.B. No. 1785
1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 4, 1995;
1-3 May 5, 1995, read first time and referred to Committee on Natural
1-4 Resources; May 17, 1995, reported favorably, as amended, by the
1-5 following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 17, 1995, sent to printer.)
1-6 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1 By: Armbrister
1-7 Substitute the following language for Section 1(a)(1), Section 1(d)
1-8 and Section 3(d):
1-9 Sec. 1(a)(1) a resident of this state who is 65 years old or
1-10 over who has resided in the state for six consecutive months
1-11 preceding the date of application for a parklands passport, a
1-12 member of the United States armed forces on active duty who is 65
1-13 years old or over, or any other individual in a category that the
1-14 commission by rule designates as a resident of this state <person>
1-15 who is 65 years old or over; and
1-16 Sec. 1(d) The department may discount or waive a park
1-17 entrance fee for a resident of this state issued an initial state
1-18 parklands passport after August 31, 1995. When a fee is charged by
1-19 the department for entrance of a vehicle into a state park, the
1-20 vehicle of the holder of an initial state parklands passport may
1-21 enter any state park on payment of a lower vehicle entrance fee.
1-22 The department may waive vehicle entrance fees for any state park
1-23 for the holder of an initial state parklands passport.
1-24 Sec. 3(d) <(c)> The nonresident <or alien> fishing license
1-25 fee is $15 or an amount set by the commission, whichever is more.
1-26 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-27 AN ACT
1-28 relating to certain Parks and Wildlife Department admissions fees,
1-29 license requirements, and exemptions.
1-30 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-31 SECTION 1. Section 13.018, Parks and Wildlife Code, is
1-32 amended by amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsection
1-33 (d) to read as follows:
1-34 (a) The following people may apply to the department for a
1-35 state parklands passport:
1-36 (1) a resident of this state who has resided in the
1-37 state for six consecutive months preceding the date of application
1-38 for a parklands passport, a member of the United States armed
1-39 forces on active duty in this state, or any other individual in a
1-40 category that the commission by rule designates as a resident of
1-41 this state <person> who is 65 years old or over; and
1-42 (2) a veteran of the armed services of the United
1-43 States who, as a result of military service, has a
1-44 service-connected disability, as defined by the Veterans'
1-45 Administration, consisting of the loss of the use of a lower
1-46 extremity or of a 60 percent disability rating and who is receiving
1-47 compensation from the United States because of the disability.
1-48 (c) The holder of a state parklands passport issued on or
1-49 before August 31, 1995, a person whose birth date is before
1-50 September 1, 1930, or a veteran described by Subsection (a)(2) is
1-51 entitled to enter any state park without payment of an entrance or
1-52 admission fee. When a fee is charged by the department for
1-53 entrance of a vehicle into a state park, the vehicle of the holder
1-54 of a state parklands passport is exempt from the fee when the
1-55 holder is present.
1-56 (d) A resident of this state issued an initial state
1-57 parklands passport after August 31, 1995, may enter any state park
1-58 on payment of 50 percent of the regular entrance or admission fee,
1-59 rounded to the nearest lower whole dollar. When a fee is charged
1-60 by the department for entrance of a vehicle into a state park, the
1-61 vehicle of the holder of an initial state parklands passport may
1-62 enter any state park on payment of 50 percent of the regular
1-63 vehicle entrance fee, rounded to the nearest lower whole dollar
1-64 when the holder is present.
1-65 SECTION 2. Section 46.002(a), Parks and Wildlife Code, is
1-66 amended to read as follows:
1-67 (a) A license issued under this chapter is not required of a
1-68 person:
2-1 (1) who is a resident and whose birth date is before
2-2 September 1, 1930 <under 17 years old>;
2-3 (2) who <65 years old or older if the person> is a
2-4 <resident or, if a> nonresident, if the person's birth date is
2-5 before September 1, 1930, and the person's state of residence
2-6 grants a similar age exemption to Texas residents;
2-7 (3) who is mentally disabled and who is engaging in
2-8 recreational fishing as part of medically approved therapy, and who
2-9 is fishing under the immediate supervision of personnel approved or
2-10 employed by a hospital, residence, or school for mentally disabled
2-11 persons; or
2-12 (4) who is participating in an event that is sponsored
2-13 or co-sponsored by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department with the
2-14 approval of the Executive Director.
2-15 SECTION 3. Section 46.004, Parks and Wildlife Code, is
2-16 amended to read as follows:
2-17 Sec. 46.004. License Fees. (a) The resident fishing
2-18 license fee is $8 or an amount set by the commission, whichever
2-19 amount is more.
2-20 (b) The commission may establish a lower fee or waive the
2-21 fee or license requirement for:
2-22 (1) a resident <person> who has a general commercial
2-23 fisherman's <fishing> license of this state;
2-24 (2) a resident<,> who is blind as defined by Section
2-25 94.001, Human Resources Code;
2-26 (3) a resident<, or> who is a qualified disabled
2-27 veteran as defined by Section 42.012(c) of this code;
2-28 (4) a resident or nonresident who is under 17 years
2-29 old; or
2-30 (5) a resident or nonresident who is 65 years old or
2-31 over. <"Disabled veteran" has the meaning given to that term by
2-32 Subsection (c) of Section 42.012 of this code.>
2-33 (c) <(b)> The department may issue a lifetime resident
2-34 fishing license to residents of this state. The fee for this
2-35 license is $300 or an amount set by the commission, whichever
2-36 amount is more.
2-37 (d) <(c)> The nonresident or alien fishing license fee is
2-38 $15 or an amount set by the commission, whichever amount is more.
2-39 (e) <(d)> The commission may establish collection and
2-40 issuance fees for licenses and tags issued under this chapter <The
2-41 license deputy issuing the license may retain 50 cents as a fee for
2-42 collecting the license fee and issuing the license>.
2-43 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
2-44 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the
2-45 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-46 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-47 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-48 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
2-49 * * * * *