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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the issuance of specially marked driver's licenses and |
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personal identification certificates to disabled veterans. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 521.011, Transportation Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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Sec. 521.011. SERVICES INFORMATION FOR VETERANS. The |
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department and the Texas Veterans Commission shall jointly develop |
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a one-page informational paper about veterans services provided by |
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this state for veterans who receive: |
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(1) a driver's license with a designation under |
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Section 521.1235; or |
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(2) a personal identification certificate with a |
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[veteran's] designation under Section 521.102 [a one-page
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informational paper about veterans services provided by this
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state]. |
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SECTION 2. Section 521.101(l), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(l) The application for the personal identification |
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certificate must provide space for the applicant: |
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(1) to voluntarily list any information [military
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service] that may qualify the applicant to receive a personal |
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identification certificate with a [veteran's] designation under |
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Section 521.102; and |
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(2) to include proof required by the department to |
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determine the applicant's eligibility to receive that designation. |
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SECTION 3. Section 521.102, Transportation Code, is amended |
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by amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsections (b-1) |
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and (d) to read as follows: |
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(a) In this section:[,] |
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(1) "Disability rating" has the meaning assigned by |
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Section 11.22, Tax Code. |
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(2) "Disabled veteran" and "veteran" have the meanings |
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assigned by Section 521.1235 [means a person who:
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[(1) has served in:
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[(A)
the army, navy, air force, coast guard, or
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marine corps of the United States; or
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[(B)
the Texas National Guard as defined by
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Section 431.001, Government Code; and
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[(2)
has been honorably discharged from the branch of
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the service in which the person served]. |
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(b-1) If a disabled veteran provides proof sufficient to the |
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department, the department, on request of the disabled veteran, |
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shall include on a personal identification certificate issued to |
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the disabled veteran in any available space on the face of the |
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personal identification certificate or on the reverse side of the |
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personal identification certificate: |
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(1) a disabled veteran designation; |
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(2) the disabled veteran's service-connected |
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disability rating; and |
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(3) the branch of the service in which the disabled |
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veteran served. |
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(c) The department shall provide to the recipient of a |
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personal identification certificate with a [veteran's] designation |
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under this section the informational paper described by Section |
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521.011 at the time the certificate is issued. |
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(d) Notwithstanding any other law, for purposes of |
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obtaining a service or benefit available for disabled veterans in |
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this state, a disabled veteran may use a personal identification |
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certificate described by Subsection (b-1) as satisfactory proof of |
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the disabled veteran's disability rating, branch of service, and |
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honorable discharge. |
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SECTION 4. Section 521.1235, Transportation Code, is |
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amended by amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsections |
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(b-1) and (d) to read as follows: |
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(a) In this section: |
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(1) "Disability rating" has the meaning assigned by |
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Section 11.22, Tax Code. |
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(2) "Disabled veteran" means a veteran who has |
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suffered a service-connected disability with a disability rating |
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of: |
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(A) at least 50 percent; or |
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(B) 40 percent if the rating is due to the |
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amputation of a lower extremity. |
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(3) "Veteran" [, "veteran"] means a person who: |
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(A) [(1)] has served in: |
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(i) [(A)] the army, navy, air force, coast |
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guard, or marine corps of the United States; or |
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(ii) [(B)] the Texas National Guard as |
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defined by Section 437.001, Government Code; and |
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(B) [(2)] has been honorably discharged from the |
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branch of the service in which the person served. |
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(b-1) If a disabled veteran provides proof sufficient to the |
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department, the department, on request of the disabled veteran, |
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shall include on a driver's license issued to the disabled veteran |
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in any available space on the face of the driver's license or on the |
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reverse side of the driver's license: |
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(1) a disabled veteran designation; |
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(2) the disabled veteran's service-connected |
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disability rating; and |
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(3) the branch of the service in which the disabled |
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veteran served. |
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(c) The department shall provide to the recipient of a |
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driver's license with a [veteran's] designation under this section |
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the informational paper described by Section 521.011 at the time |
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the license is issued. |
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(d) Notwithstanding any other law, for purposes of |
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obtaining a service or benefit available for disabled veterans in |
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this state, a disabled veteran may use a driver's license described |
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by Subsection (b-1) as satisfactory proof of the disabled veteran's |
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disability rating, branch of service, and honorable discharge. |
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SECTION 5. Section 521.142(i), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(i) The application must provide space for the applicant: |
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(1) to voluntarily list any information [military
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service] that may qualify the applicant to receive a license with a |
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[veteran's] designation under Section 521.1235; and |
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(2) to include proof required by the department to |
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determine the applicant's eligibility to receive that designation. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |