BILL ANALYSIS
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Senate Research Center |
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AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Currently, a veteran with a service-connected disability consisting of the loss of the use of a lower extremity or of a disability rating of 60 percent or more and who is receiving federal compensation for the disability qualifies for the waiver of resident hunting and fishing license fees in Texas. There are concerns that there are too few veterans benefiting from the waiver and that the minimum threshold for that qualifying disability rating is too high and may not be reflective of certain United States Department of Veterans Affairs service-connected disability ratings. H.B. 721 seeks to extend resident hunting and fishing license fee waivers to a larger number of disabled veterans as a gesture of appreciation for their service and sacrifice.
H.B. 721 amends current law relating to the hunting or fishing license fee waiver for certain disabled veterans.
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 Section 42.012(c), Parks and Wildlife Code, to redefine "qualified disabled veteran" to mean a veteran with a service connected disability, as defined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, rather than as defined by the Veterans' Administration, consisting of the loss of the use of a lower extremity or of a disability rating of 50 percent or more, rather than 60 percent or more, and who is receiving compensation from the United States for the disability.
SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2015.