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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to waivers for entrance fees to state parks for resident |
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first responders, military service members, and veterans. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 13.015, Parks and Wildlife Code, is |
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amended by amending Subsection (a-2) and adding Subsections (a-3) |
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and (a-4) to read as follows: |
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(a-2) The department shall waive the park entrance fee for a |
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resident of this state who is a first responder. In this |
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subsection, "first responder" means a person who is: |
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(1) a firefighter certified by the Texas Commission on |
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Fire Protection or by the State Firefighters' and Fire Marshals' |
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Association of Texas; |
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(2) an individual certified as emergency medical |
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services personnel by the Department of State Health Services; |
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(3) a municipal police officer; |
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(4) a sheriff, deputy sheriff, or reserve deputy |
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sheriff; or |
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(5) a constable, deputy constable, or reserve deputy |
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constable. |
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(a-3) The department shall waive the park entrance fee for |
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an active duty member or veteran of the armed services of the United |
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States, the Texas Army National Guard, the Texas Air National |
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Guard, or the Texas State Guard. |
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(a-4) The department may promote visits and enhance revenue |
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at parks, including amounts necessary for salaries, advertising, |
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consumable supplies and materials, promotional products, fees, and |
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related expenses. |
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SECTION 2. Sections 13.018(a), (c), and (e), Parks and |
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Wildlife Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The following people may apply to the department for a |
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state parklands passport: |
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(1) a resident of this state who is 65 years old or |
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over who has resided in the state for six consecutive months |
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preceding the date of application for a parklands passport[, a |
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member of the United States armed forces on active duty who is 65 |
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years old or over,] or any other individual in a category that the |
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commission by rule designates as a resident of this state who is 65 |
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years old or over; and |
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(2) [a veteran of the armed services of the United |
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States who, as a result of military service, has a |
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service-connected disability, as defined by the Veterans' |
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Administration, consisting of the loss of the use of a lower |
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extremity or of a 60 percent disability rating and who is receiving |
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compensation from the United States because of the disability; and |
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[(3)] an individual who has a physical or mental |
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impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life |
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activities of the individual. |
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(c) The holder of a state parklands passport issued on or |
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before August 31, 1995, or a person whose birth date is before |
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September 1, 1930, [or a veteran described by Subsection (a)(2)] is |
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entitled to enter any state park without payment of an entrance or |
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admission fee. When a fee is charged by the department for entrance |
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of a vehicle into a state park, the vehicle of the holder of a state |
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parklands passport is exempt from the fee when the holder is |
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present. |
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(e) The commission by rule shall establish eligibility |
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requirements and privileges available to the holder of a state |
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parklands passport described by Subsection (a)(2) [(a)(3)]. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |