By: Sheffield, Miller of Erath, Aycock H.B. No. 559
        (Senate Sponsor - Hinojosa)
         (In the Senate - Received from the House April 26, 2011;
  April 29, 2011, read first time and referred to Committee on
  Transportation and Homeland Security; May 21, 2011, reported
  favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 21, 2011, sent
  to printer.)
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to Bronze Star Medal and Bronze Star Medal with Valor
  specialty license plates.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 504.315, Transportation Code, is amended
  by adding Subsection (a) to read as follows:
         (a)  The department shall issue specialty license plates for
  recipients of the Bronze Star Medal and Bronze Star Medal with
  Valor. License plates issued under this subsection must include
  the Bronze Star Medal emblem and must include the words "Bronze Star
  Medal" at the bottom of each plate. License plates issued under
  this subsection to recipients of the Bronze Star Medal with Valor
  that are not personalized must also include the letter "V" as a
  prefix or suffix to the numerals on each plate.  Section 504.702
  does not apply to license plates authorized by this subsection.
         SECTION 2.  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, is reenacted and amended
  to read as follows:
         (b)  A vehicle on which license plates described by
  Subsection (a)(2) or issued under Section 504.202, Section
  504.315(a), (c) [504.315(c)], (d), (e), (f), or (g), or Section
  504.316 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:
               (1)  the person who registered the vehicle under
  Section 504.202(a), Section 504.315(a), (c) [504.315(c)], (d),
  (e), (f), or (g), or Section 504.316;
               (2)  a person described in Section 504.202(b) 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).
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.
 
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