By: Sheffield of Coryell, Cortez H.B. No. 2485

(Senate Sponsor - Birdwell)

(In the Senate - Received from the House May 6, 2013; May 8, 2013, read first time and referred to Committee on Transportation; May 15, 2013, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 15, 2013, sent to printer.)

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to Air Medal and Air 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-1) to read as follows:

(a-1) The department shall issue specialty license plates for recipients of the Air Medal and Air Medal with Valor. License plates issued under this subsection must include the Air Medal emblem and must include the words "Air Medal" at the bottom of each plate. License plates issued under this subsection to recipients of the Air 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, is amended to read as follows:

(b) A vehicle on which license plates described by Subsection (a)(2) or issued under Section 504.202, 504.315, or [Section 504.315(a), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), or (h), 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), 504.315, or [Section 504.315(a), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), or (h), 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, 2013.

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