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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the punishment for certain offenses involving parking |
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in a space designated for persons with disabilities. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 681.011, Transportation Code, is amended |
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by amending Subsection (g) and adding Subsections (g-1) and (g-2) |
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to read as follows: |
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(g) Except as provided by Subsections (g-1), (h), (i), (j), |
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and (k) [(h)-(k)], an offense under this section is a misdemeanor |
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punishable by a fine of not less than $500 or more than $750. |
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(g-1) In lieu of imposing a fine on conviction under |
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Subsection (g), the court may order a person who has not previously |
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been convicted of an offense under this section to: |
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(1) perform community service at a nonprofit |
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organization that serves persons with disabilities or persons with |
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disabling diseases; |
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(2) perform any community service that may sensitize |
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the person to the needs of and obstacles faced by persons with |
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disabilities; or |
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(3) attend education classes on disability awareness |
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and accessible parking. |
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(g-2) The court shall set the number of hours of community |
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service or education classes required under Subsection (g-1). |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only to |
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an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. An |
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offense committed before the effective date of this Act is governed |
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by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, and the |
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former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of |
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this section, an offense was committed before the effective date of |
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this Act if any element of the offense occurred before that date. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |