By Brown                                               S.B. No. 287
       74R1176 DWS-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to enforcement by a disabled person of a law relating to
    1-3  parking  by or for disabled persons.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Section 6A, Chapter 338, Acts of the 64th
    1-6  Legislature, 1975 (Article 6675a-5e.1, Vernon's Texas Civil
    1-7  Statutes), is amended by adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:
    1-8        (e)  A political subdivision may appoint a disabled person to
    1-9  have the authority to file charges against a person who commits an
   1-10  offense under this Act.  A person appointed under this subsection
   1-11  must be a United States citizen of good moral character who has not
   1-12  been convicted of a felony.  The person must take and subscribe to
   1-13  an oath of office that the political subdivision prescribes and
   1-14  must complete a training program developed by the political
   1-15  subdivision.  The person is not a peace officer, has no authority
   1-16  other than the authority applicable to a citizen to enforce a law
   1-17  other than this Act, and may not carry a weapon while performing
   1-18  duties under this subsection.  The person is not entitled to
   1-19  compensation for performing duties under this subsection or to
   1-20  indemnification from the political subdivision or the state for
   1-21  injury or property damage the person sustains or liability the
   1-22  person incurs in performing duties under this subsection.  The
   1-23  political subdivision and the state are not liable for any damages
   1-24  arising from an act or omission of the person in performing duties
    2-1  under this subsection.
    2-2        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
    2-3  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-4  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-5  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-6  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
    2-7  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
    2-8  passage, and it is so enacted.