1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the issuance of special license plates for passenger
1-3 cars and light trucks owned by or used for the transportation of
1-4 veterans with disabilities.
1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-6 SECTION 1. Section 502.254, Transportation Code, is amended
1-7 by amending Subsections (a), (b), (c), (d), (g), and (h) and adding
1-8 Subsection (i) to read as follows:
1-9 (a) The department shall issue special license plates for
1-10 passenger cars and light trucks that are owned by veterans [A
1-11 veteran] of the United States armed forces. A veteran is entitled
1-12 to register, for the person's own use, two [one] passenger cars
1-13 [car] or light trucks under this section [truck without payment of
1-14 a registration fee] if the person:
1-15 (1) has suffered, as a result of military service:
1-16 (A) at least a 60 percent service-connected
1-17 disability; or
1-18 (B) a 40 percent service-connected disability
1-19 because of the amputation of a lower extremity; and
1-20 (2) receives compensation from the United States
1-21 because of the disability.
1-22 (b) An organization may register a motor vehicle under this
1-23 section [without payment of a registration fee] if:
1-24 (1) the vehicle is used exclusively to transport
2-1 veterans of the United States armed forces who have suffered, as a
2-2 result of military service, a service-connected disability; and
2-3 (2) the veterans are not charged for the
2-4 transportation.
2-5 (c) License [The department shall issue specially designed
2-6 license] plates issued [for registration] under this section[. The
2-7 plates] must include:
2-8 (1) the letters "DV" as a prefix or suffix to the
2-9 numerals on the plate; and
2-10 (2) the words "DISABLED VET."
2-11 (d) An application for registration under this section must
2-12 be on a form provided by the department and be accompanied by the
2-13 [a] fee prescribed by Subsection (g) [of $3] and evidence required
2-14 by the department that the applicant may register under this
2-15 section.
2-16 (g) The fee for issuance of license plates under this
2-17 section is:
2-18 (1) $3 for the first set of license plates; and
2-19 (2) the applicable annual fee prescribed by Section
2-20 502.161 for each additional [After a license plate becomes invalid
2-21 under Subsection (f), the owner may qualify for another] set of
2-22 license plates [under this section].
2-23 (h) If a [the] plate is canceled under Subsection (f)(1),
2-24 the owner may then register another vehicle under this section
2-25 without charge.
2-26 (i) [(h)] The department may adopt rules to administer this
2-27 section.
3-1 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
3-2 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
3-3 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-4 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-5 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-6 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
_______________________________ _______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 2768 was passed by the House on May
11, 1999, by a non-record vote; and that the House concurred in
Senate amendments to H.B. No. 2768 on May 19, 1999, by a non-record
vote.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 2768 was passed by the Senate, with
amendments, on May 17, 1999, by a viva-voce vote.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: _____________________
Date
_____________________
Governor