SRC-C.S.S.B. 21 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 21 76R4570 DRH-DBy: Zaffirini State Affairs 3/10/1999 Committee Report (Substituted) REVISED DIGEST Currently, Texas law does not provide an institution, facility, or retirement community that transports people with disabilities a special license plate or parking placard. An institution, facility, or retirement community is required to display a placard for each resident being transported. This bill would allow certain institutions, facilities, or retirement communities that transport persons with disabilities to apply for a specialty license plate or disabled parking placard. PURPOSE As proposed, C.S.S.B. 21 issues specialty license plates or disabled parking placards to certain institutions, facilities, or retirement communities that transport 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 502F, Transportation Code, by adding Section 502.2531, as follows: Sec. 502.2531. ISSUANCE OF DISABLED PLATES TO CERTAIN INSTITUTIONS. Requires the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to provide for the issuance of specially designed license plates under Section 502.253 for a van or bus operated by an institution, facility, or residential retirement community for the elderly in which a person described by Section 502.253(b) resides. Requires the application for registration to be made in the manner provided by Section 502.253(d) and be accompanied by a written statement signed by the administrator or manager of the institution, facility, or retirement community certifying that the institution, facility, or retirement community regularly transports persons described by Section 502.253(b). Requires TXDOT to determine eligibility of the institution, facility, or retirement community on the evidence provided. SECTION 2. Amends Chapter 681, Transportation Code, by adding Section 681.0032, as follows: Sec. 681.0032. ISSUANCE OF DISABLED PARKING PLACARDS TO CERTAIN INSTITUTIONS. Requires TxDOT to provide for the issuance of disabled parking placards described by Section 681.002 for a van or bus operated by an institution, facility, or residential retirement community for the elderly in which a person described by Section 502.253(b) resides. Requires the application for a disabled parking placard to be made in the manner provided by Section 681.003(b) and be accompanied by a written statement signed by the administrator or manager of the institution, facility, or retirement community to certify to TxDOT that the institution, facility, or retirement community transports persons described by Section 502.253(b). Requires TXDOT to determine eligibility of the institution, facility, or retirement community on the evidence provided. SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 4. Emergency clause. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES SECTION 1. Amends Section 502.2531, Transportation Code, to require TxDOT to provide for the issuance of specially designed license plates under Section 502.253 for a van or bus operated by a residential retirement community for the elderly in which a person described by Section 502.253(b) resides. Makes conforming changes. SECTION 2. Amends Section 681.0032, Transportation Code, to make conforming changes.