|
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
relating to specialty license plates or stickers for motor vehicles |
|
of persons with intellectual disabilities. |
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 502, Transportation Code, |
|
is amended by adding Section 502.061 to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 502.061. REGISTRATION BY OWNER WITH INTELLECTUAL |
|
DISABILITY. (a) If the department elects to design and issue a |
|
sticker under Section 504.205(c) indicating that a person operating |
|
a motor vehicle may be a person with an intellectual disability, the |
|
department shall adopt rules allowing an applicant for registration |
|
or renewal of registration to apply for the sticker. |
|
(b) Rules adopted by the department under this section must |
|
provide for: |
|
(1) the expiration of the sticker at the end of the |
|
registration period specified in the registration application; |
|
(2) the location on the motor vehicle where the |
|
sticker must be placed; and |
|
(3) a fee for issuance of the sticker in an amount to |
|
cover the department's costs for issuance. |
|
(c) An application for registration or renewal of |
|
registration must provide space for the applicant to submit the |
|
written statement from a physician as required by Section 504.205. |
|
SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 504, Transportation Code, |
|
is amended by adding Section 504.205 to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 504.205. PERSONS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY. (a) In |
|
this section, "intellectual disability" has the meaning assigned by |
|
Section 591.003, Health and Safety Code. |
|
(b) Subject to Subsection (c), the department, in |
|
consultation with the Department of Public Safety, shall design and |
|
issue specialty license plates for a motor vehicle that is |
|
regularly operated by a person with an intellectual disability. A |
|
license plate issued under this section must include an emblem |
|
indicating that the person operating the vehicle may be a person |
|
with an intellectual disability. |
|
(c) In lieu of designing and issuing specialty license |
|
plates under Subsection (b), the department, in consultation with |
|
the Department of Public Safety, may design a sticker for a motor |
|
vehicle that is regularly operated by a person with an intellectual |
|
disability and issue the sticker at the time the person registers or |
|
renews the registration of the person's vehicle as provided by |
|
Section 502.061. |
|
(d) The initial application for specialty license plates |
|
under this section must be accompanied by a written statement from a |
|
physician who is licensed to practice medicine in this state or in a |
|
state adjacent to this state. The statement must certify that the |
|
person making the application has an intellectual disability. |
|
(e) The fee for issuance of license plates under this |
|
section may not exceed the administrative costs incurred by the |
|
department in issuing the license plates. |
|
SECTION 3. Section 1701.253, Occupations Code, is amended |
|
by adding Subsection (n) to read as follows: |
|
(n) As part of the minimum curriculum requirements, the |
|
commission shall establish a statewide comprehensive education and |
|
training program on procedures for interacting with drivers with an |
|
intellectual disability, as defined by Section 591.003, Health and |
|
Safety Code, including identifying specialty license plates or |
|
stickers issued to individuals with an intellectual disability |
|
under Section 504.205 or 502.061, Transportation Code. An officer |
|
shall complete a program established under this subsection not |
|
later than the second anniversary of the date the officer is |
|
licensed under this chapter or the date the officer applies for an |
|
intermediate proficiency certificate, whichever date is earlier. |
|
SECTION 4. Not later than March 1, 2018, the Texas |
|
Commission on Law Enforcement shall establish the training program |
|
as required by Section 1701.253(n), Occupations Code, as added by |
|
this Act. |
|
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect January 1, 2018. |