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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to parking placards for vehicles of persons with |
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disabilities. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 681.003(b), (c), and (e), |
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Transportation Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(b) An application for a disabled parking placard must be: |
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(1) on a form furnished by the department; |
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(2) submitted to the county assessor-collector of the |
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county in which the person with the disability: |
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(A) resides if the person has a permanent |
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disability and is a resident of this state; |
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(B) resides or is seeking medical treatment if |
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the person has a temporary disability and is a resident of this |
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state; or |
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(C) [in which the applicant] is seeking medical |
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treatment if the person [applicant] is not a resident of this state; |
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and |
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(3) accompanied by a fee of $5 if the application is |
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for a temporary placard. |
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(c) Subject to Subsections (e) and (f), the first |
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application must be accompanied by a notarized written statement or |
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written prescription of a physician licensed to practice medicine |
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in this state or a state adjacent to this state, or authorized by |
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applicable law to practice medicine in a hospital or other health |
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facility of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, |
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certifying and providing evidence acceptable to the department that |
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the person making the application or on whose behalf the |
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application is made is legally blind or has a mobility problem that |
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substantially impairs the person's ability to ambulate. The |
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statement or prescription must include a certification of whether |
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the disability is temporary or permanent and information acceptable |
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to the department to determine the type of disabled parking placard |
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for which the person [applicant] is eligible. The department shall |
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determine a person's eligibility based on evidence provided by the |
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applicant establishing legal blindness or mobility impairment. |
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(e) If a first application for a disabled parking placard |
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under this section is made by or on behalf of a person with: |
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(1) a mobility problem caused by a disorder of the |
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foot, the notarized written statement or written prescription |
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required by Subsection (c) may be issued by a person licensed to |
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practice podiatry in this state or a state adjacent to this state; |
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[or] |
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(2) a disability caused by an impairment of vision as |
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provided by Section 681.001(2), the notarized written statement or |
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written prescription required by Subsection (c) may be issued by a |
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person licensed to engage in the practice of optometry or the |
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practice of therapeutic optometry in this state or a state adjacent |
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to this state; or |
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(3) a temporary mobility problem that substantially |
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impairs the person's ability to ambulate, the notarized written |
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statement or written prescription required by Subsection (c) may be |
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issued by a person licensed to practice chiropractic, as described |
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by Section 201.002, Occupations Code, in this state or a state |
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adjacent to this state. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |