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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to waiving certain driver's license fees for applicants |
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who are first responders. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter I, Chapter 521, Transportation Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 521.1813 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 521.1813. WAIVER OF CERTAIN FEES FOR FIRST RESPONDERS. |
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(a) In this section, "first responder" means: |
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(1) a peace officer whose duties include responding |
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rapidly to an emergency; |
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(2) fire protection personnel, as defined by Section |
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419.021, Government Code; |
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(3) a volunteer firefighter who performs firefighting |
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duties on behalf of a political subdivision and who is not serving |
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as a member of the legislature or holding a statewide elected |
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office; |
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(4) an ambulance driver; or |
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(5) an individual certified as emergency medical |
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services personnel by the Department of State Health Services. |
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(b) A person is exempt from the payment of any fee for the |
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issuance of an original or renewal driver's license, as provided |
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under this chapter, if at the time of the application for an |
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original or renewal driver's license the person submits to the |
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department satisfactory evidence that the person is a first |
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responder. |
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(c) The department shall establish a record of the amount of |
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the fees waived under this section that would otherwise be |
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deposited to the credit of the Texas mobility fund. |
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(d) On or before the fifth workday of each month, the |
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department, using available funds, shall remit to the comptroller |
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for deposit to the credit of the Texas mobility fund general revenue |
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in an amount equal to the amount of the fees described by Subsection |
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(c) in the preceding month. |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to an application for an original or renewal driver's license |
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submitted on or after the effective date of this Act. An |
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application submitted before the effective date of this Act is |
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governed by the law in effect when the application was submitted, |
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and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |