AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

The Silver Star Medal is the third-highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States Armed Forces for valor.

 

The Silver Star Medal is awarded to anyone in the armed forces who displays extraordinary heroism in action against an enemy, is engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force, or while serving with friendly foreign forces is engaged in armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.

 

However, Silver Star Medal recipients are not eligible for privileged parking in state-maintained parking lots and at state-maintained parking meters.

 

H.B. 2928, if adopted, would allow members who have the Silver Star Medal license plate to receive the same privileges under Section 681.008, Transportation Code.  This would include free parking at any government-owned parking meter or parking lot other than those owned by the federal government.

 

H.B. 2928 amends current law relating to privileged parking for recipients of the Silver Star Medal.

 

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.  Reenacts Section 681.008(b), Transportation Code, as amended by Chapters 115 (H.B. 2020) and 319 (H.B. 618), Acts of the 81st Legislature, Regular Session, 2009, and amends it, as follows:

 

(b)  Exempts a vehicle on which license plates described by Subsection (a)(2) (exempting a vehicle from the payment of a parking fee collected through a parking meter under certain circumstances) or issued under Section 504.202 (Veterans With Disabilities), Section 504.315(c) (relating to requiring the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) to issue specialty license plates for a person who was captured and incarcerated by an enemy of the United States during a period of conflict with the United States), (d) (relating to requiring TxDMV to issue specialty license plates for survivors of the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941), (e) (relating to requiring TxDMV to issue specialty license plates to a recipient of a Congressional Medal of Honor), (f) (relating to requiring TxDMV to issue specialty license plates for recipients of the Air Force Cross or Distinguished Service Cross, the Army Distinguished Service Cross, the Navy Cross, or the Medal of Honor), (g) (relating to requiring TxDMV to issue specialty license plates for recipients of the Purple Heart), or (h) (relating to requiring TxDMV to issue special license plates for recipients of the Silver Star Medal), or Section 504.316 (Legion of Merit Medal Recipients) are displayed 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:

 

(1)  the person who registered the vehicle under Section 504.202(a) (relating to entitling a person to specialty license plates under this section may register one vehicle without payment of any fee paid for or at the time of registration except the fee for the license plates), Section 504.315(c), (d), (e), (f), (g), or (h), or Section 504.316;

 

(2)  a person described in Section 504.202(b) (relating to entitling a veteran of the United States armed forces to register motor vehicles) if the vehicle is registered under that subsection; or

 

(3)  the owner or operator of a vehicle displaying license plates described by Subsection (a)(2). 

 

Makes nonsubstantive changes.

 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 2011.