1-1 By: Lindsay S.B. No. 175
1-2 (In the Senate - Filed December 20, 2000; January 11, 2001,
1-3 read first time and referred to Committee on Veteran Affairs and
1-4 Military Installations; February 8, 2001, reported favorably by the
1-5 following vote: Yeas 5, Nays 0; February 8, 2001, sent to
1-6 printer.)
1-7 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-8 AN ACT
1-9 relating to parking privileges for vehicles of certain veterans or
1-10 the surviving spouses of certain veterans.
1-11 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-12 SECTION 1. Section 681.008, Transportation Code, as amended
1-13 by Chapters 738, 1195, and 1362, Acts of the 76th Legislature,
1-14 Regular Session, 1999, is reenacted and amended to read as follows:
1-15 Sec. 681.008. PARKING PRIVILEGES: CERTAIN VETERANS. (a) A
1-16 vehicle may be parked for an unlimited period in a parking space or
1-17 area that is designated specifically for persons with physical
1-18 disabilities if:
1-19 (1) the vehicle is being operated by or for the
1-20 transportation of:
1-21 (A) the person who registered the vehicle under
1-22 Section 502.254(a); or
1-23 (B) a person described by Section 502.254(b) if
1-24 the vehicle is registered under that subsection; and
1-25 (2) there are displayed on the vehicle special license
1-26 plates issued under Section 502.254.
1-27 (b) A vehicle on which license plates issued under Section
1-28 502.254, 502.255, 502.257, 502.259, or 502.260 are displayed is
1-29 exempt from the payment of a parking fee, including a fee collected
1-30 through a parking meter, charged by a governmental authority,
1-31 including an institution of higher education, as defined by Section
1-32 61.003, Education Code, but not including [other than] a branch of
1-33 the federal government, when being operated by or for the
1-34 transportation of:
1-35 (1) the person who registered the vehicle under
1-36 Section 502.254(a), 502.255, 502.257, 502.259, or 502.260; or
1-37 (2) a person described in Section 502.254(b) if the
1-38 vehicle is registered under that subsection. [A governmental unit
1-39 may provide by ordinance or order that the exemption provided by
1-40 Subsection (a) also applies to payment of a fee or penalty imposed
1-41 by the governmental unit for parking in a parking garage or lot or
1-42 in a space with a limitation on the length of time for parking.]
1-43 (c) This section does not permit a vehicle to be parked at a
1-44 time when or a place where parking is prohibited.
1-45 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
1-46 * * * * *