BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center	S.B. 1936
	By: Hughes
	Veteran Affairs & Border Security
	6/8/2017
	Enrolled

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Concerns have been raised about the amount of paperwork with which disabled veterans are burdened when compelled to prove their disability status. S.B. 1936 seeks to streamline and simplify this process by providing for the inclusion of a disabled veteran designation and branch of service on the driver's license or personal identification certificate of such a veteran for purposes of obtaining certain services or benefits available to disabled veterans in Texas.

 

S.B. 1936 amends the Transportation Code to require the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) to include a disabled veteran designation and the branch of the service in which a disabled veteran served in any available space on the face of a personal identification certificate or driver's license or on the reverse side of a personal identification certificate or driver's license issued to a veteran who has suffered a service-connected disability with a United States Department of Veterans Affairs certified disability rating of at least 50 percent, or 40 percent if the rating is due to the amputation of a lower extremity, on request of such a disabled veteran who provides proof sufficient to DPS.

 

The bill authorizes a disabled veteran, for purposes of obtaining a service or benefit available for disabled veterans in Texas, to use the personal identification certificate or driver's license as satisfactory proof that the disabled veteran has the requisite disability rating and of branch of service and honorable discharge.

 

The bill expressly disqualifies the personal identification certificate and the driver's license as satisfactory proof of the disabled veteran's disability rating for purposes of obtaining a property tax exemption provided by state law. The bill requires a disabled veteran who renews the personal identification certificate or driver's license to provide proof sufficient to DPS of the disabled veteran's disability rating. (Original Author's / Sponsor's Statement of Intent) 

 

S.B. 1936 amends current law relating to the issuance of specially marked driver's licenses and personal identification certificates to 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 521.011, Transportation Code, to require the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Texas Veterans Commission (TVC) to jointly develop a one-page informational paper about veterans services provided by this state for veterans who receive a driver's license with a designation under Section 521.1235 (Designator on License Issued to Veteran), or a personal identification certificate with a designation under Section 521.102 (Designator on Personal Identification Certificate Issued to Veteran), rather than to jointly develop for veterans who receive a driver's license or personal identification certificate with a veteran's designation a one-page informational paper about veterans services provided by this state.

 

SECTION 2. Amends Section 521.101(1), Transportation Code, to require that the application for the personal identification certificate provide space for the applicant to voluntarily list any information, rather than military service, that may qualify the applicant to receive a personal identification certificate with a designation, rather than veteran's designation, under Section 521.102.

 

SECTION 3. Amends Section 521.102, Transportation Code, by amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsections (b-1), (d), (e), and (f), as follows:

 

(a) Defines "disability rating" and� "disabled veteran" and redefines "veteran."

 

(b-1) Requires DPS, if a disabled veteran provides proof sufficient to DPS, on request of the disabled veteran, to include certain information on a personal identification certificate issued to the disabled veteran in any available space on the face of the personal identification certificate or on the reverse side of the personal identification certificate.�

 

(c) Requires DPS to provide to the recipient of a personal identification certificate with a designation, rather than veteran's designation, under this section the informational paper described by Section 521.011 (Services Information for Veterans) at the time the certificate is issued.�

 

(d) Authorizes a disabled veteran, notwithstanding any other law and except as provided by Subsection (e), for purposes of obtaining a service or benefit available for disabled veterans in this state, to use a personal identification certificate described by Subsection (b-1) as satisfactory proof that the disabled veteran has a disability rating described by Section 521.1235(a)(2)(A) (relating to defining "disabled veteran" as a veteran who has a certain disability rating of at least 50 percent) or (B) (relating to defining "disabled veteran" as a veteran who has a certain disability rating of at least 40 percent under certain conditions), as applicable, and as satisfactory proof of branch of service and honorable discharge.

 

(e) Provides that a personal identification certificate described by Subsection (b-1) is not satisfactory proof of the disabled veteran's disability rating for purposes of obtaining a property tax exemption provided by Chapter 11 (Taxable Property and Exemptions), Tax Code.

 

(f) Requires a disabled veteran who renews a personal identification certificate described by Subsection (b-1) to provide proof sufficient to DPS of the veteran's disability rating.

 

SECTION 4. Amends Section 521.1235, Transportation Code, by amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsections (b-1), (d), (e), and (f), as follows:

 

(a) Defines "disability rating" and "disabled veteran" and make nonsubstantive changes.

 

(b-1) Requires DPS, if a disabled veteran provides proof sufficient to DPS, on request of the disabled veteran, to include on a driver's license issued to the disabled veteran in any available space on the face of the driver's license or on the reverse side of the driver's license certain information.

 

(c) Makes conforming changes.

 

(d) Authorizes a disabled veteran, notwithstanding any other law and except as provided by Subsection (e), for purposes of obtaining a service or benefit available for disabled veterans in this state, to use a driver's license described by Subsection (b-1) as satisfactory proof that the disabled veteran has a disability rating described by Subsection (a)(2)(A) or (B), as applicable, and as satisfactory proof of branch of service and honorable discharge.

 

(e) Provides that a driver's license described by Subsection (b-1) is not satisfactory proof of the disabled veteran's disability rating for purposes of obtaining a property tax exemption provided by Chapter 11, Tax Code.

 

(f) Requires a disabled veteran who renews a driver's license described by Subsection (b-1) to provide proof sufficient to DPS of the disabled veteran's disability rating.

 

SECTION 5. Amends Section 521.142(i), Transportation Code, to require that the application for an original license provide space for the applicant to voluntarily list any information, rather than military service, that may qualify the applicant to receive a license with a designation, rather than veteran's designation, under Section 521.1235.

 

SECTION 6. Effective date: September 1, 2017.