SRC-TNM C.S.S.B. 1762 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 1762
By: Moncrief
Intergovernmental Relations
4-7-97
Committee Report (Substituted)


DIGEST 

Currently, officials from law enforcement agencies, volunteer handicap
parking enforcement programs, and tax offices have observed a substantial
amount of misuse of handicap parking placards.  Many handicap license
plates and hang tags have been obtained by applicants filing false
doctor's signatures to receive handicap license plates or hang tags.
People have also been observed using another person's license plate or
hang tag to park in spaces reserved for handicap parking. Because there is
no statewide database to verify to whom the hang tag belongs, laws are
difficult to enforce.  C.S.S.B. 1762 would require doctors to sign
notarized written statements to certify a person's eligibility to obtain
handicap parking license plates or hang tags in an attempt to reduce the
filing of applications with false signatures. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, C.S.S.B. 1762 outlines provisions regarding enforcement of
laws relating to parking by persons with disabilities. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 681.006, Transportation Code, by adding
Subsection (e), to provide that this section does not permit  the owner of
a vehicle to be exempt from payment of fees or penalties imposed by
governmental units for parking in parking garages or other parking lots
located within the boundaries of municipal airports. 

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1997.

SECTION 3. Emergency clause. 

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES

SECTION 1.

Amends Chapter 681.006, Transportation Code, to delete proposed Section
521.0411, Transportation Code, regarding disabled parking placard records;
Section 681.003(c), regarding an application for disabled parking; and
Section 681.0031, regarding an applicant's driver's license number.
Renumbers remaining sections accordingly.