By Merritt                                            H.B. No. 1070
         76R2767 DWS-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to parking privileges of a disabled veteran.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Section 681.008, Transportation Code, is amended
 1-5     to read as follows:
 1-6           Sec. 681.008.  PARKING PRIVILEGES:  VETERANS WITH
 1-7     DISABILITIES;  CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS.  (a)  A
 1-8     vehicle may be parked for an unlimited period in a parking space or
 1-9     area that is designated specifically for persons with physical
1-10     disabilities if:
1-11                 (1)  the vehicle is being operated by or for the
1-12     transportation of:
1-13                       (A)  the person who registered the vehicle under
1-14     Section 502.254(a); or
1-15                       (B)  a person described by Section 502.254(b) if
1-16     the vehicle is registered under that subsection; and
1-17                 (2)  there are displayed on the vehicle special license
1-18     plates issued under Section 502.254.
1-19           (b)  A vehicle on which license plates issued under Section
1-20     502.254 or 502.255 are displayed is exempt from the payment of a
1-21     parking fee, including a fee collected through a parking meter,
1-22     charged by a governmental authority other than a branch of the
1-23     federal government, when being operated by or for the
1-24     transportation of:
 2-1                 (1)  the person who registered the vehicle under
 2-2     Section 502.254(a) or 502.255; or
 2-3                 (2)  a person described in Section 502.254(b) if the
 2-4     vehicle is registered under that subsection.
 2-5           (c)  This section does not permit a vehicle to be parked at a
 2-6     time when or a place where parking is prohibited.
 2-7           SECTION 2.  Sections 681.011(a) and (b), Transportation Code,
 2-8     are amended to read as follows:
 2-9           (a)  A person commits an offense if:
2-10                 (1)  the person parks a vehicle on which are displayed
2-11     license plates issued under Section 502.253 or 502.254 or a
2-12     disabled parking placard in a parking space or area designated
2-13     specifically for persons with disabilities by:
2-14                       (A)  a political subdivision; or
2-15                       (B)  a person who owns or controls private
2-16     property used for parking as to which a political subdivision has
2-17     provided for the application of this section under Subsection (f);
2-18     and
2-19                 (2)  the parking of the vehicle in that parking space
2-20     or area is not authorized by Section 681.006, 681.007, or 681.008
2-21     [person does not have a disability; and]
2-22                 [(3)  the person is not transporting a person with a
2-23     disability].
2-24           (b)  A person commits an offense if the person parks a
2-25     vehicle on which license plates issued under Section 502.253 or
2-26     502.254 are not displayed and a disabled parking placard is not
2-27     displayed in a parking space or area designated specifically for
 3-1     individuals with disabilities by:
 3-2                 (1)  a political subdivision; or
 3-3                 (2)  a person who owns or controls private property
 3-4     used for parking as to which a political subdivision has provided
 3-5     for the application of this section under Subsection (f).
 3-6           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
 3-7           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
 3-8     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 3-9     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-10     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-11     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.