H.B. No. 377         AN ACT   relating to the issuance of certain specialty license plates,   specially marked driver's licenses, and specially marked personal   identification certificates.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 504.302, Transportation Code, is amended   by adding Subsection (a-1) and amending Subsection (b) to read as   follows:          (a-1)  The surviving spouse of a person who would be eligible   for a specialty license plate under Section 504.308, 504.310,   504.315, 504.316, or 504.319 is entitled to register one vehicle   under the applicable section as long as the spouse remains   unmarried.          (b)  An applicant [for registration] under this section must   submit proof of the eligibility of the applicant's deceased spouse   for the applicable specialty license plate.          SECTION 2.  Section 504.308, Transportation Code, is amended   to read as follows:          Sec. 504.308.  DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS MEDAL RECIPIENTS.   [(a)] The department shall issue specialty license plates for   persons who have received the Distinguished Flying Cross medal and   Distinguished Flying Cross medal with Valor. The license plates   must bear a depiction of the Distinguished Flying Cross medal and   the words "Distinguished Flying Cross" at the bottom of each   license plate. License plates issued under this section to   recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross medal with Valor that   are not personalized must also include the letter "V" as a prefix or   suffix to the numerals on each plate.          SECTION 3.  Section 504.317, Transportation Code, is amended   by adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows:          (b-1)  A person is eligible to receive specialty license   plates under this section if the person is the surviving spouse of a   person who had been entitled to specialty plates for veterans with   disabilities under Section 504.202, regardless of whether the   deceased spouse was issued plates under that section.          SECTION 4.  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 5.  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 6.  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 7.  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 8.  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 9.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.       ______________________________ ______________________________      President of the Senate Speaker of the House                   I certify that H.B. No. 377 was passed by the House on March   29, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 146, Nays 0, 1 present, not   voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.   No. 377 on May 26, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 142, Nays 0, 2   present, not voting.     ______________________________   Chief Clerk of the House               I certify that H.B. No. 377 was passed by the Senate, with   amendments, on May 24, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays   0.     ______________________________   Secretary of the Senate      APPROVED: __________________                   Date                       __________________                 Governor