1-1 By: Corte (Senate Sponsor - Madla) H.B. No. 15
1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 9, 2001;
1-3 May 10, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on State
1-4 Affairs; May 11, 2001, reported favorably by the following vote:
1-5 Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 11, 2001, sent to printer.)
1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-7 AN ACT
1-8 relating to license plates for persons with disabilities and
1-9 disabled veterans.
1-10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-11 SECTION 1. Section 502.2531, Transportation Code, is amended
1-12 to read as follows:
1-13 Sec. 502.2531. ISSUANCE OF DISABLED PLATES TO CERTAIN
1-14 INSTITUTIONS. (a) The department shall provide for the issuance of
1-15 the specially designed license plates under Section 502.253 or
1-16 502.254 for a van or bus operated by an institution, facility, or
1-17 residential retirement community for the elderly or for veterans in
1-18 which a person described by Section 502.253(b) or 502.254(a), as
1-19 applicable, resides, including an institution licensed under
1-20 Chapter 242, Health and Safety Code, and a facility licensed under
1-21 Chapter 246 or 247 of that code.
1-22 (b) The application for registration must be made in the
1-23 manner provided by Section 502.253(d) or 502.254(d), as applicable,
1-24 and be accompanied by a written statement signed by the
1-25 administrator or manager of the institution, facility, or
1-26 retirement community certifying to the department that the
1-27 institution or facility regularly transports, as a part of the
1-28 services that the institution, facility, or retirement community
1-29 provides, one or more persons described by Section 502.253(b) or
1-30 Section 502.254(a), as applicable, who reside in the institution,
1-31 facility, or retirement community. The department shall determine
1-32 the eligibility of the institution, facility, or retirement
1-33 community on the evidence the applicant provides.
1-34 SECTION 2. Sections 502.253(a) and (h), Transportation Code,
1-35 are amended to read as follows:
1-36 (a) The department shall provide for the issuance of
1-37 specially designed license plates for motor vehicles with a
1-38 manufacturer's rated carrying capacity of two tons or less
1-39 [motorcycles, passenger cars, and light trucks] regularly operated
1-40 for noncommercial use by or for the transportation of a person with
1-41 a permanent disability.
1-42 (h) A person entitled to register a vehicle under this
1-43 section is entitled to a set of special license plates under this
1-44 section for each motor vehicle with a carrying capacity of two tons
1-45 or less [motorcycle, passenger car, or light truck] owned by the
1-46 person that is equipped with special equipment that:
1-47 (1) is designed to allow a person who has lost the use
1-48 of one or both of the person's legs to operate the vehicle; and
1-49 (2) is not standard equipment on that type of vehicle
1-50 for use by a person who has use of both of the person's legs.
1-51 SECTION 3. Section 502.254(a), Transportation Code, is
1-52 amended to read as follows:
1-53 (a) The department shall issue special license plates for
1-54 motor vehicles with a manufacturer's rated carrying capacity of two
1-55 tons or less [passenger cars and light trucks] that are owned by
1-56 veterans of the United States armed forces. A veteran is entitled
1-57 to register, for the person's own use, two motor vehicles
1-58 [passenger cars or light trucks] under this section if the person:
1-59 (1) has suffered, as a result of military service:
1-60 (A) at least a 60 percent service-connected
1-61 disability; or
1-62 (B) a 40 percent service-connected disability
1-63 because of the amputation of a lower extremity; and
1-64 (2) receives compensation from the United States
2-1 because of the disability.
2-2 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
2-3 * * * * *