By Turner of Coleman                                   H.B. No. 189

      75R1343 DWS-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to issuance of special license plates for a vehicle used

 1-3     to transport a person with a disability.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 502.253, Transportation Code, is amended

 1-6     by adding Subsection (h) to read as follows:

 1-7           (h)  A person entitled to register a vehicle under this

 1-8     section is entitled to a set of special license plates under this

 1-9     section for each motorcycle, passenger car, or light truck owned by

1-10     the person that is equipped with special equipment necessary for

1-11     operation of the vehicle by a person with a disability.

1-12           SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only

1-13     to a registration period beginning on or after the effective date

1-14     of this Act.  A registration period beginning before the effective

1-15     date of this Act is governed by the law in effect when the

1-16     registration period began, and the former law is continued in

1-17     effect for that purpose.

1-18           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-19           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-20     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-21     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-22     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-23     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.