BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center H.B. 1781
80R9210 DWS-D By: Harless (Ellis)
Transportation & Homeland Security
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
A disabled parking placard (placard) is issued to a disabled person in order that a vehicle that transports the person may lawfully park in a designated handicap parking space. In recent years, law enforcement agency officials and disability organization representatives have reported widespread misuse and alteration of these placards throughout Texas and around the nation.
In response to privacy concerns that were raised regarding the recording of a person’s complete driver’s license number on the person’s placard, the 78th Legislature, Regular Session, 2003, required a county tax assessor-collector to record only the first four digits of a driver’s license number followed by the applicant's initials on the placard. As a result, law enforcement officers have been unable to trace the placards to determine their validity. Knowing which county issued a placard would aid officers in such traces.
H.B. 1781 requires a county tax assessor-collector to identify the county issuing the disabled parking placard by recording the 3-digit county number, followed by the first four digits of the applicant's driver's license number, and the applicant's initials on the placard.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 681.0031(b), Transportation Code, to require the county assessor-collector to record on any disabled parking placard issued to an applicant the county number assigned by the comptroller of public accounts to the county issuing the placard, the first four digits of the applicant's driver's license number, and the applicant's initials, in that order. Makes a conforming deletion.
SECTION 2. Makes application of this Act prospective.
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2007.