1-1 By: Merritt, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Truan) H.B. No. 1070
1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 11, 1999;
1-3 May 12, 1999, read first time and referred to Committee on Veteran
1-4 Affairs and Military Installations; May 13, 1999, reported
1-5 favorably by the following vote: Yeas 4, Nays 0; May 13, 1999,
1-6 sent to printer.)
1-7 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-8 AN ACT
1-9 relating to parking privileges of a disabled veteran.
1-10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-11 SECTION 1. Section 681.008, Transportation Code, is amended
1-12 to read as follows:
1-13 Sec. 681.008. PARKING PRIVILEGES: VETERANS WITH
1-14 DISABILITIES; CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS. (a) A
1-15 vehicle may be parked for an unlimited period in a parking space or
1-16 area that is designated specifically for persons with physical
1-17 disabilities if:
1-18 (1) the vehicle is being operated by or for the
1-19 transportation of:
1-20 (A) the person who registered the vehicle under
1-21 Section 502.254(a); or
1-22 (B) a person described by Section 502.254(b) if
1-23 the vehicle is registered under that subsection; and
1-24 (2) there are displayed on the vehicle special license
1-25 plates issued under Section 502.254.
1-26 (b) A vehicle on which license plates issued under Section
1-27 502.254 or 502.255 are displayed is exempt from the payment of a
1-28 parking fee, including a fee collected through a parking meter,
1-29 charged by a governmental authority other than a branch of the
1-30 federal government, when being operated by or for the
1-31 transportation of:
1-32 (1) the person who registered the vehicle under
1-33 Section 502.254(a) or 502.255; or
1-34 (2) a person described in Section 502.254(b) if the
1-35 vehicle is registered under that subsection.
1-36 (c) This section does not permit a vehicle to be parked at a
1-37 time when or a place where parking is prohibited.
1-38 SECTION 2. Sections 681.011(a) and (b), Transportation Code,
1-39 are amended to read as follows:
1-40 (a) A person commits an offense if:
1-41 (1) the person parks a vehicle on which are displayed
1-42 license plates issued under Section 502.253 or 502.254 or a
1-43 disabled parking placard in a parking space or area designated
1-44 specifically for persons with disabilities by:
1-45 (A) a political subdivision; or
1-46 (B) a person who owns or controls private
1-47 property used for parking as to which a political subdivision has
1-48 provided for the application of this section under Subsection (f);
1-49 and
1-50 (2) the parking of the vehicle in that parking space
1-51 or area is not authorized by Section 681.006, 681.007, or 681.008
1-52 [person does not have a disability; and]
1-53 [(3) the person is not transporting a person with a
1-54 disability].
1-55 (b) A person commits an offense if the person parks a
1-56 vehicle on which license plates issued under Section 502.253 or
1-57 502.254 are not displayed and a disabled parking placard is not
1-58 displayed in a parking space or area designated specifically for
1-59 individuals with disabilities by:
1-60 (1) a political subdivision; or
1-61 (2) a person who owns or controls private property
1-62 used for parking as to which a political subdivision has provided
1-63 for the application of this section under Subsection (f).
1-64 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-1 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
2-2 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-3 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-4 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-5 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
2-6 * * * * *