1-1 By: Turner of Coleman (Senate Sponsor - Patterson) H.B. No. 827
1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 12, 1997;
1-3 May 13, 1997, read first time and referred to Committee on Natural
1-4 Resources; May 16, 1997, reported favorably by the following vote:
1-5 Yeas 11, Nays 0; May 16, 1997, sent to printer.)
1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-7 AN ACT
1-8 relating to hunting and fishing licenses for certain disabled
1-9 veterans.
1-10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-11 SECTION 1. Section 42.012(b), Parks and Wildlife Code, is
1-12 amended to read as follows:
1-13 (b) The commission may set a lower fee or waive the fee or
1-14 license requirement for a resident who is under 17 years old, 65
1-15 years old or older, or participating in an event that is sponsored
1-16 or co-sponsored by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department with the
1-17 approval of the executive director[, or a qualified disabled
1-18 veteran]. The commission shall waive the fee for a qualified
1-19 disabled veteran.
1-20 SECTION 2. Section 46.004, Parks and Wildlife Code, is
1-21 amended by amending Subsection (b), adding a new Subsection (c),
1-22 and relettering existing Subsections (c)-(e) to read as follows:
1-23 (b) The commission may establish a lower fee or waive the
1-24 fee or license requirement for:
1-25 (1) a resident who has a general commercial
1-26 fisherman's license of this state;
1-27 (2) a resident who is blind as defined by Section
1-28 94.001, Human Resources Code;
1-29 (3) [a resident who is a qualified disabled veteran as
1-30 defined by Section 42.012(c) of this code;]
1-31 [(4)] a resident or nonresident who is under 17 years
1-32 old; or
1-33 (4) [(5)] a resident or nonresident who is 65 years
1-34 old or over.
1-35 (c) The commission shall waive the fee for a qualified
1-36 disabled veteran as defined by Section 42.012.
1-37 (d) The department may issue a lifetime resident fishing
1-38 license to residents of this state. The fee for this license is
1-39 $300 or an amount set by the commission, whichever amount is more.
1-40 (e) [(d)] The nonresident fishing license fee is $15 or an
1-41 amount set by the commission, whichever amount is more.
1-42 (f) [(e)] The commission may establish collection and
1-43 issuance fees for licenses and tags issued under this chapter.
1-44 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.
1-45 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
1-46 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-47 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-48 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-49 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
1-50 * * * * *