HBA-NIK H.B. 1070 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1070 By: Merritt Transportation 4/19/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Under Section 681.008, Transportation Code, disabled veterans who are issued special license plates are exempt from the payment of a parking fee, including a fee collected through a parking meter, charged by a governmental authority other than a branch of the federal governmental. However, Section 681.008 does not allow a disabled veteran to park in a space designed specifically for persons with physical disabilities. The disabled veteran must additionally apply for a blue placard to park in a space designated for a person with physical disabilities. H.B. 1070 allows a disabled veteran who has received a "Disabled Vet" license plate to park in a space designated specifically for persons with physical disabilities. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 681.008, Transportation Code, as follows: Sec. 681.008. PARKING PRIVILEGES: VETERANS WITH DISABILITIES; CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS. (a)Authorizes a vehicle to be parked for an unlimited period in a parking space or area that is designated specifically for persons with physical disabilities if: (1) the vehicle is being operated by or for the transportation of: (A) the person who registered the vehicle under Section 502.254(a); or (B) a person described by Section 502.254(b) if the vehicle is registered under that subsection; and (2) there are displayed on the vehicle special license plates issued under Section 502.254. (c) Provides that this section does not permit a vehicle to be parked at a time when or a place where parking is prohibited. SECTION 2. Amends Sections 681.011 (a) and (b), Transportation Code, as follows: (a) Includes the parking of a vehicle displaying license plates issued when Section 502.254 (Veterans With Disabilities), Transportation Code, in a parking space or area in which such vehicle is not authorized to park by Section 681.006 (Parking Privileges: Persons With Disabilities), 681.007 (Parking Privileges: Vehicles Displaying International Symbol of Access), or 681.008 (Parking Privileges: Veterans With Disabilities; Congressional Medal of Honor Recipients), Transportation Code, as a condition constituting an offense, rather than providing that a person commits an offense by parking in disabled space when that person does not have a disability and is not transporting a person with a disability. (b) Makes a conforming change. SECTION 3.Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 4.Emergency clause.