By McReynolds                                          H.B. No. 522
         76R1584 DRH-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the issuance of specialty license plates or disabled
 1-3     parking placards to certain institutions and facilities that
 1-4     transport persons with a disability.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1.  Subchapter F, Chapter 502, Transportation Code,
 1-7     is amended by adding Section 502.2531 to read as follows:
 1-8           Sec. 502.2531.  ISSUANCE OF DISABLED PLATES TO CERTAIN
 1-9     INSTITUTIONS.  (a)  The department shall provide for the issuance
1-10     of the specially  designed license plates under Section 502.253 for
1-11     a van or bus operated by an institution or facility in which a
1-12     person described by Section 502.253(b) resides, including an
1-13     institution licensed under Chapter 242, Health and Safety Code, and
1-14     a facility licensed under Chapter 246 or 247 of that code.
1-15           (b)  The application for registration must be made in the
1-16     manner provided by Section 502.253(d) and be accompanied by a
1-17     written statement signed by the administrator or manager of the
1-18     institution or facility certifying to the department that the
1-19     institution or facility regularly transports, as a part of the
1-20     services that the institution or facility provides, one or more
1-21     persons described by Section 502.253(b) who reside in the
1-22     institution or facility.  The department shall determine the
1-23     eligibility of the institution or facility on the evidence the
1-24     applicant provides.
 2-1           SECTION 2.  Chapter 681, Transportation Code, is amended by
 2-2     adding Section 681.0032 to read as follows:
 2-3           Sec. 681.0032.  ISSUANCE OF DISABLED PARKING PLACARDS TO
 2-4     CERTAIN INSTITUTIONS.  (a)  The department shall provide for the
 2-5     issuance of disabled  parking placards described by Section 681.002
 2-6     for a van or bus operated by an institution or facility in which a
 2-7     person described by Section 502.253(b) resides, including an
 2-8     institution licensed under Chapter 242, Health and Safety Code, and
 2-9     a facility licensed under Chapter 246 or 247 of that code.
2-10           (b)  The application for a disabled parking placard must be
2-11     made in the manner provided by Section 681.003(b) and be
2-12     accompanied by a written statement signed by the administrator or
2-13     manager of the institution or facility certifying to the department
2-14     that the institution or facility regularly transports, as a part of
2-15     the services that the institution or facility provides, one or more
2-16     persons described by Section 502.253(b) who reside in the
2-17     institution or facility.  The department shall determine the
2-18     eligibility of the institution or facility on the evidence the
2-19     applicant provides.
2-20           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-21           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-22     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-23     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-24     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-25     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.