BILL ANALYSIS
By: Shapleigh
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Almost all specialty license plates produced by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) can be manufactured with the international symbol of access (ISA), also known as the wheelchair icon, but there are three plates whose designs prevent the inclusion of the ISA– the Congressional Medal of Honor plate, the Legion of Valor plate, and the Texas Guard plate. As a result, Texans with disabilities who qualify for a disabled plate and desire one of these three plates must choose between the free ISA plate and the specialty plate. If they choose the specialty plate, they must pay the $5 fee to obtain a disabled person placard to hang from their rearview mirror if they desire the same benefits given to a motorist possessing an ISA plate. This impacts disabled veterans, as only veterans apply for such specialty plates and places an added cost on those who purchase the disabled person placard.
As proposed, S.B. 959 requires a specialty license plate issued to a qualified disabled person to be designed in a manner that incorporates the ISA symbol onto the plate.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends 504.201, Transportation Code, by adding Subsection (h), to require the Texas Department of Transportation to include the international symbol of access, as defined by Section 681.001, on a specialty license plate issued under this chapter (Specialty License Plates) to an eligible person under this section (Persons with Disabilities).
SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2007.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2007.