BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center	H.B. 643
86R469 BEE-D	By: Raney (Men�ndez)
	Transportation
	5/12/2019
	Engrossed

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Current law requires that the application and the obtainment of a disability placard take place in the county of residence of the individual who needs care. Because Texas is a large state, there are occasions where caretakers are forced to drive long distances, often having to take off work, in order to submit an application or pick up a placard. In a lot of cases, this may not be a feasible option, leaving them without a necessary tool to assist in the care of the individual who is in need of care.

 

The purpose of H.B. 643 is to allow the person for whom a placard is being requested to make an application or pick up a placard in the county in which they are seeking their medical treatment, if different than the county in which they normally reside. In doing this, you make the instrument more accessible. To do this, we have amended Section 681.003 (b) of the Transportation Code to read as follows:

 

(b) An application for a disabled parking placard must be:

 

(1) on a form furnished by the department;

 

(2) submitted to the county assessor-collector of the county in which the person with the disability:

 

(A) resides; or

 

(B) [in which the applicant] is seeking medical treatment [if the applicant is not a resident of this state]; and

 

(3) accompanied by a fee of $5 if the application is for a temporary placard.

 

H.B. 643 amends current law relating to the location at which an application for a disabled parking placard may be made.

 

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 681.003(b), Transportation Code, as follows:

 

(b) Makes nonsubstantive changes. Requires an application for a disabled parking placard to be:

 

(1) makes no changes to this subdivision;

 

(2) submitted to the county assessor-collector of the county in which the person with the disability resides or is seeking medical treatment, rather than the county in which the person with the disability resides or in which the applicant is seeking medical treatment if the applicant is not a resident of this state; and

 

(3) makes no changes to this subdivision.

 

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2019.

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