79R5619 JRJ-D

By:  Coleman                                                      H.B. No. 1255



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to an increased penalty for certain privileged parking 
offenses.   
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Sections 681.011(d) and (g), Transportation 
Code, are amended to read as follows:
	(d)  A person commits an offense if the person uses [lends] a 
disabled parking placard issued to another [the] person [to a 
person who uses the placard] in violation of this section.  
Notwithstanding Subsections (g)-(k), an offense under this 
subsection is a Class B misdemeanor.
	(g)  Except as provided by Subsections (d) and (h)-(k), an 
offense under this section is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of 
not less than $250 or more than $500.
	SECTION 2.  Section 681.0111(c), Transportation Code, is 
amended to read as follows:
	(c)  An offense under Subsection (a) is a Class A 
misdemeanor.  An offense under Subsection (b) is a Class B [C] 
misdemeanor.
	SECTION 3.  (a)  The change in law made by this Act applies 
only to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this 
Act.  For purposes of this section, an offense is committed before 
the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurs 
before that date.
	(b)  An offense committed before the effective date of this 
Act is covered by the law in effect when the offense was committed, 
and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
	SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.