By: Hughes  S.B. No. 1936
         (In the Senate - Filed March 10, 2017; March 27, 2017, read
  first time and referred to Committee on Veteran Affairs & Border
  Security; May 1, 2017, reported adversely, with favorable
  Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 6, Nays 1;
  May 1, 2017, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1936 By:  Huffines
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the issuance of specially marked driver's licenses and
  personal identification certificates to disabled veterans.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 521.011, Transportation Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         Sec. 521.011.  SERVICES INFORMATION FOR VETERANS.  The
  department and the Texas Veterans Commission shall jointly develop
  a one-page informational paper about veterans services provided by
  this state for veterans who receive:
               (1)  a driver's license with a designation under
  Section 521.1235; or
               (2)  a personal identification certificate with a
  [veteran's] designation under Section 521.102 [a one-page
  informational paper about veterans services provided by this
  state].
         SECTION 2.  Section 521.101(l), Transportation Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (l)  The application for the personal identification
  certificate must provide space for the applicant:
               (1)  to voluntarily list any information [military
  service] that may qualify the applicant to receive a personal
  identification certificate with a [veteran's] designation under
  Section 521.102; and
               (2)  to include proof required by the department to
  determine the applicant's eligibility to receive that designation.
         SECTION 3.  Section 521.102, Transportation Code, is amended
  by amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsections (b-1),
  (d), (e), and (f) to read as follows:
         (a)  In this section:
               (1)  "Disability rating" has the meaning assigned by
  Section 11.22, Tax Code.
               (2)  "Disabled veteran" and[,] "veteran" have the
  meanings assigned by Section 521.1235 [means a person who:
               [(1)  has served in:
                     [(A)     the army, navy, air force, coast guard, or
  marine corps of the United States; or
                     [(B)     the Texas National Guard as defined by
  Section 431.001, Government Code; and
               [(2)     has been honorably discharged from the branch of
  the service in which the person served].
         (b-1)  If a disabled veteran provides proof sufficient to the
  department, the department, on request of the disabled veteran,
  shall include 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:
               (1)  a disabled veteran designation; and
               (2)  the branch of the service in which the disabled
  veteran served.
         (c)  The department shall provide to the recipient of a
  personal identification certificate with a [veteran's] designation
  under this section the informational paper described by Section
  521.011 at the time the certificate is issued.
         (d)  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, a disabled veteran
  may use a personal identification certificate described by
  Subsection (b-1) as satisfactory proof:
               (1)  that the disabled veteran has a disability rating
  described by Section 521.1235(a)(2)(A) or (B), as applicable; and
               (2)  of branch of service and honorable discharge.
         (e)  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, Tax Code.
         (f)  A disabled veteran who renews a personal identification
  certificate described by Subsection (b-1) shall provide proof
  sufficient to the department of the disabled veteran's disability
  rating.
         SECTION 4.  Section 521.1235, Transportation Code, is
  amended by amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsections
  (b-1), (d), (e), and (f) to read as follows:
         (a)  In this section:
               (1)  "Disability rating" has the meaning assigned by
  Section 11.22, Tax Code.
               (2)  "Disabled veteran" means a veteran who has
  suffered a service-connected disability with a disability rating
  of:
                     (A)  at least 50 percent; or
                     (B)  40 percent if the rating is due to the
  amputation of a lower extremity.
               (3)  "Veteran"[, "veteran"] means a person who:
                     (A) [(1)]  has served in:
                           (i) [(A)]  the army, navy, air force, coast
  guard, or marine corps of the United States; or
                           (ii) [(B)]  the Texas National Guard as
  defined by Section 437.001, Government Code; and
                     (B) [(2)]  has been honorably discharged from the
  branch of the service in which the person served.
         (b-1)  If a disabled veteran provides proof sufficient to the
  department, the department, on request of the disabled veteran,
  shall 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:
               (1)  a disabled veteran designation; and
               (2)  the branch of the service in which the disabled
  veteran served.
         (c)  The department shall provide to the recipient of a
  driver's license with a [veteran's] designation under this section
  the informational paper described by Section 521.011 at the time
  the license is issued.
         (d)  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, a disabled veteran
  may use a driver's license described by Subsection (b-1) as
  satisfactory proof:
               (1)  that the disabled veteran has a disability rating
  described by Subsection (a)(2)(A) or (B), as applicable; and
               (2)  of branch of service and honorable discharge.
         (e)  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)  A disabled veteran who renews a driver's license
  described by Subsection (b-1) shall provide proof sufficient to the
  department of the disabled veteran's disability rating.
         SECTION 5.  Section 521.142(i), Transportation Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (i)  The application must provide space for the applicant:
               (1)  to voluntarily list any information [military
  service] that may qualify the applicant to receive a license with a
  [veteran's] designation under Section 521.1235; and
               (2)  to include proof required by the department to
  determine the applicant's eligibility to receive that designation.
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
 
  * * * * *