BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center H.B. 2020
81R8308 JAM-D By: Weber et al. (Jackson, Mike)
Veteran Affairs & Military Installations
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
According to the Transportation Code, all vehicles displaying in-state or out-of-state "disabled" license plates are eligible for handicap parking privileges. However, only vehicles displaying in-state "disabled veteran" license plates are eligible for those same privileges. This bill grants handicap parking privileges to out-of-state vehicles displaying "disabled veteran" license plates.
H.B. 2020 amends current law relating to parking privileges for veterans with disabilities.
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 Sections 681.008(a) and (b), Transportation Code, as follows:
(a) Authorizes a vehicle to be parked for an unlimited period in a parking space or area that is designated specifically for persons with physical disabilities if the vehicle displays, rather than there are displayed on the vehicle, special license plates issued under Section 504.202 (Government-Owned Vehicles; Public School Buses; Fire-Fighting Vehicles; County Marine Law Enforcement Vehicles) or displays license plates issued by another state of the United States that indicate on the face of the license plates that the owner or operator of the vehicle is a disabled veteran of the United States armed forces. Makes nonsubstantive changes.
(b) Provides that a vehicle on which license plates described by Subsection (a)(2) (relating to license plates displayed by a veteran of the United States armed forces) or issued under Section 504.202 or Section 504.315(c) (relating to requiring the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to issue specialty license plates for a person who was captured and incarcerated by an enemy of the United States), (d) (relating to requiring TxDOT to issue specialty license plates for survivors of the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941), (e) (relating to requiring TxDOT to issue specialty license plates to a recipient of a Congressional Medal of Honor awarded under Title 10, United States Code), or (g) (relating to requiring TxDOT to issue specialty license plates for recipients of the Purple Heart) are displayed is exempt from the payment of a parking fee collected through a parking meter charged by a governmental authority other than a branch of the federal government, when being operated by or for the transportation of the owner or operator of a vehicle displaying license plates described by Subsection (a)(2). Makes nonsubstantive changes.
SECTION 2. Makes application of this Act prospective.
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2009.