By Solis of Cameron                                   H.B. No. 3507
         76R9245 MI-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to certain exemptions from hunting or fishing license fee
 1-3     requirements.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Sections 42.012(b) and (c), Parks and Wildlife
 1-6     Code, are amended to read as follows:
 1-7           (b)  The commission may set a lower fee or waive the fee or
 1-8     license requirement for a resident who is under 17 years old, 65
 1-9     years old or older, or participating in an event that is sponsored
1-10     or co-sponsored by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department with the
1-11     approval of the executive director. The commission shall waive the
1-12     fee for a qualified disabled veteran or a resident with a  physical
1-13     disability.
1-14           (c)  In this section:
1-15                 (1)  "Physical disability" means a physical impairment
1-16     of an individual that substantially limits one or more major life
1-17     activities of the individual.
1-18                 (2)  "Qualified disabled veteran" means a veteran with
1-19     a service connected disability, as defined by the Veterans'
1-20     Administration, consisting  of the loss of the use of a lower
1-21     extremity or of a disability rating of 60 percent or more and who
1-22     is receiving compensation from the United States for the
1-23     disability.
1-24           SECTION 2.  Sections 46.004(b) and (c), Parks and Wildlife
 2-1     Code, are amended to read as follows:
 2-2           (b)  The commission may establish a lower fee or waive the
 2-3     fee or license requirement for:
 2-4                 (1)  a resident who has a general commercial
 2-5     fisherman's license of this state;
 2-6                 (2)  [a resident who is blind as defined by  Section
 2-7     94.001, Human Resources Code;]
 2-8                 [(3)]  a resident or nonresident who is under 17 years
 2-9     old; or
2-10                 (3) [(4)]  a resident or nonresident who is 65 years
2-11     old or over.
2-12           (c)  The commission shall waive the fee for a qualified
2-13     disabled veteran or a resident with a physical disability as
2-14     defined by Section 42.012.
2-15           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-16           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-17     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-18     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-19     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-20     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.