BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2020

By: Weber

Defense & Veterans' Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

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.

H.B. 2020 grants handicap parking privileges to out-of-state vehicles displaying "disabled veteran" license plates.

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

H.B. 2020 amends the Transportation Code to authorize a vehicle to be parked for an unlimited period in a parking space or area specifically designated for persons with physical disabilities if the vehicle 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.  The bill also exempts a vehicle displaying those plates from payment of a parking fee collected through a parking meter charged by a governmental authority other than a branch of the federal government.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2009.