HBA-NIK H.B. 1070 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1070
By: Merritt
Transportation
4/19/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under Section 681.008, Transportation Code, disabled veterans who are
issued special license plates are exempt from the payment of a parking fee,
including a fee collected through a parking meter, charged by a
governmental authority other than a branch of the federal governmental.
However, Section 681.008 does not allow a disabled veteran to park in a
space designed specifically for persons with physical disabilities.  The
disabled veteran must additionally apply for a blue placard to park in a
space designated for a person with physical disabilities. 

H.B. 1070 allows a disabled veteran who has received a "Disabled Vet"
license plate to park in a space designated specifically for persons with
physical disabilities. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 681.008, Transportation Code, as follows:

Sec. 681.008.  PARKING PRIVILEGES: VETERANS WITH DISABILITIES;
CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS.  (a)Authorizes a vehicle to be
parked for an unlimited period in a parking space or area that is
designated specifically for persons with physical disabilities if: 

(1) the vehicle is being operated by or for the transportation of:
  (A) the person who registered the vehicle under Section 502.254(a); or
  (B) a person described by Section 502.254(b) if the vehicle is registered
under that    subsection; and 
(2) there are displayed on the vehicle special license plates issued under
Section 502.254. 

(c) Provides that this section does not permit a vehicle to be parked at a
time when or a place where parking is prohibited. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Sections 681.011 (a) and (b), Transportation Code, as
follows:  

(a) Includes the parking of a vehicle displaying license plates issued when
Section 502.254 (Veterans With Disabilities), Transportation Code, in a
parking space or area in which such vehicle is not authorized to park by
Section 681.006 (Parking Privileges: Persons With Disabilities), 681.007
(Parking Privileges: Vehicles Displaying International Symbol of Access),
or 681.008 (Parking Privileges: Veterans With Disabilities; Congressional
Medal of Honor Recipients), Transportation Code, as a condition
constituting an offense, rather than providing that a person commits an
offense by parking in disabled space when that person does not have a
disability and is not transporting a person with a disability.   

(b) Makes a conforming change.
 
SECTION 3.Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 4.Emergency clause.