87R3764 BEE-D     By: Campbell S.B. No. 792       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to specialty license plates and parking placards for   vehicles of certain disabled veterans.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 502.410(b), Transportation Code, is   amended to read as follows:          (b)  Subsection (a) does not apply to a statement or   application filed or given under Section 502.060, 502.092, 502.093,   502.094, 502.095, 504.201, 504.202(b-1), 504.508, or 504.515.          SECTION 2.  Section 504.202, Transportation Code, is amended   by adding Subsections (b-1), (b-2), and (k) and amending   Subsections (g) and (j) to read as follows:          (b-1)  A person described by Subsection (b) who is eligible   to receive license plates under Section 504.201 may elect to   receive license plates under this section that include the symbol   described by Section 504.201(f). The initial application for   license plates under this subsection must be accompanied by:                (1)  the written statement required by Section   504.201(d), unless the applicant is an organization described by   Subsection (b-2); and                (2)  any other information required for an application   under this section.          (b-2)  An organization that registers a motor vehicle under   Subsection (c) may elect to receive license plates under Subsection   (b-1) if the vehicle regularly transports veterans who are eligible   to receive license plates under Subsection (b-1). The department   shall adopt rules prescribing satisfactory proof of eligibility   under this subsection.          (g)  A person who receives license plates under Subsection   (b-1) [this section] may receive a disabled parking placard under   Section 681.004 for each set of license plates [without providing   additional documentation].          (j)  A person entitled to license plates under this section   may instead use, for a vehicle that meets the requirements of   Section 504.501 or 504.502, disabled veteran license plates issued   by this state that [are]:                (1)  are embossed with an alphanumeric pattern;                (2)  are of a plate design that was issued in the same   year as the model year of the vehicle; [and]                (3)  are approved for use by the department; and                (4)  include the symbol described by Section   504.201(f), if the person satisfies the requirements for the   issuance of license plates under Subsection (b-1) and elects to   include the symbol on the plates.          (k)  A reference in law to license plates issued under   Subsection (b-1) includes disabled veteran license plates   described by Subsection (j)(4).          SECTION 3.  Section 681.004(a), Transportation Code, is   amended to read as follows:          (a)  A person with a permanent disability may receive:                (1)  two disabled parking placards, if the person does   not receive a set of special license plates under Section 504.201;                (2)  one disabled parking placard, if the person   receives a set of special license plates under Section 504.201; or                (3)  two disabled parking placards, if the person   receives two sets of special license plates under Section   504.202(b-1) [504.202].          SECTION 4.  Section 681.008(a), Transportation Code, is   amended to read as follows:          (a)  A vehicle may be parked for an unlimited period in a   parking space or area that is designated specifically for persons   with physical disabilities if [the vehicle]:                (1)  the vehicle [is being operated by or for the   transportation of ]:                      (A)  [the person who registered the vehicle under   Section 504.202(a) or a person described by Section 504.202(b) if   the vehicle is registered under that subsection; and                      [(B)]  displays special license plates issued   under Section 504.202(b-1) [504.202]; and                      (B)  is being operated by or for the   transportation of the person to whom the plates were issued; or                (2)  the vehicle displays license plates issued by   another state of the United States that indicate on the face of the   license plates that the owner or operator of the vehicle is a   disabled veteran of the United States armed forces.          SECTION 5.  Section 681.009(e), Transportation Code, is   amended to read as follows:          (e)  Parking spaces or areas designated for the exclusive use   of vehicles transporting persons with disabilities may be used by   vehicles displaying a white on blue shield disabled parking   placard, license plates issued under Section 504.201 or   504.202(b-1) [504.202], or a white on red shield disabled parking   placard.          SECTION 6.  Sections 681.011(a), (b), and (l),   Transportation Code, are amended to read as follows:          (a)  A person commits an offense if:                (1)  the person stands a vehicle on which are displayed   license plates issued under Section 504.201 or 504.202(b-1)   [504.202] or a disabled parking placard in a parking space or area   designated specifically for persons with disabilities by:                      (A)  a political subdivision; or                      (B)  a person who owns or controls private   property used for parking as to which a political subdivision has   provided for the application of this section under Subsection (f);   and                (2)  the standing of the vehicle in that parking space   or area is not authorized by Section 681.006, 681.007, or 681.008.          (b)  A person commits an offense if the person stands a   vehicle on which license plates issued under Section 504.201 or   504.202(b-1) [504.202] are not displayed and a disabled parking   placard is not displayed in a parking space or area designated   specifically for individuals with disabilities by:                (1)  a political subdivision; or                (2)  a person who owns or controls private property   used for parking as to which a political subdivision has provided   for the application of this section under Subsection (f).          (l)  A person commits an offense if the person:                (1)  stands a vehicle on which are displayed license   plates issued under Section 504.201 or 504.202(b-1) or a disabled   parking placard in a parking space or area for which this chapter   creates an exemption from payment of a fee or penalty imposed by a   governmental unit;                (2)  does not have a disability;                (3)  is not transporting a person with disability; and                (4)  does not pay any applicable fee related to   standing in the space or area imposed by a governmental unit or   exceeds a limitation on the length of time for standing in the space   or area.          SECTION 7.  Not later than December 1, 2021, the Texas   Department of Motor Vehicles shall adopt rules for issuing   specialty license plates under Section 504.202(b-1),   Transportation Code, as added by this Act.          SECTION 8.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to   an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. An   offense committed before the effective date of this Act is governed   by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, and the   former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of   this section, an offense was committed before the effective date of   this Act if any element of the offense occurred before that date.          SECTION 9.  (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this   section, this Act takes effect January 1, 2022.          (b)  Section 7 of this Act takes effect September 1, 2021.