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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to specialized license plates and parking placards for |
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vehicles of persons with disabilities. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 504.201, Transportation Code, is amended |
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by amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsection (h) to read as |
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follows: |
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(d) Subject to Subsection (h), the [The] initial |
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application for specialty license plates under this section must be |
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accompanied by a written statement from a physician who is licensed |
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to practice medicine in this state or in a state adjacent to this |
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state or who is authorized by applicable law to practice medicine in |
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a hospital or other health facility of the Department of Veterans |
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Affairs. If the applicant has a mobility problem caused by a |
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disorder of the foot, the written statement may be issued by a |
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person licensed to practice podiatry in this state or a state |
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adjacent to this state. In this subsection, "podiatry" has the |
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meaning assigned by Section 681.001. The statement must certify |
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that the person making the application or on whose behalf the |
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application is made is legally blind or has a mobility problem that |
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substantially impairs the person's ability to ambulate. The |
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statement must also certify whether a mobility problem is temporary |
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or permanent. A written statement is not required as acceptable |
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medical proof if: |
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(1) the person with a disability: |
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(A) has had a limb, hand, or foot amputated; or |
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(B) must use a wheelchair; and |
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(2) the applicant and the county assessor-collector |
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processing the application execute an affidavit attesting to the |
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person's disability. |
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(h) If the initial application for specialty license plates |
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under this section is made by or on behalf of a person with a |
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mobility problem that substantially impairs the person's ability to |
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ambulate, the written statement required by Subsection (d) may be |
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issued by a person licensed to practice chiropractic in this state |
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or a state adjacent to this state. In this subsection, |
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"chiropractic" has the meaning assigned by Section 201.002, |
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Occupations Code. |
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SECTION 2. Section 681.003, Transportation Code, is amended |
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by amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (f) to read as |
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follows: |
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(c) Subject to Subsections [Subsection] (e) and (f), the |
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first application must be accompanied by a notarized written |
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statement or written prescription of a physician licensed to |
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practice medicine in this state or a state adjacent to this state, |
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or authorized by applicable law to practice medicine in a hospital |
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or other health facility of the Veterans Administration, certifying |
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and providing evidence acceptable to the department that the person |
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making the application or on whose behalf the application is made is |
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legally blind or has a mobility problem that substantially impairs |
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the person's ability to ambulate. The statement or prescription |
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must include a certification of whether the disability is temporary |
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or permanent and information acceptable to the department to |
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determine the type of disabled parking placard for which the |
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applicant is eligible. The department shall determine a person's |
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eligibility based on evidence provided by the applicant |
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establishing legal blindness or mobility impairment. |
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(f) If a first application for a disabled parking placard |
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under this section is made by or on behalf of a person with a |
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mobility problem that substantially impairs the person's ability to |
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ambulate, the notarized written statement or written prescription |
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required by Subsection (c) may be issued by a person licensed to |
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practice chiropractic in this state or a state adjacent to this |
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state. In this subsection, "chiropractic" has the meaning assigned |
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by Section 201.002, Occupations Code. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |