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AN ACT
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relating to the issuance of certain specialty license plates, |
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specially marked driver's licenses, and specially marked personal |
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identification certificates. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 504.302, Transportation Code, is amended |
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by adding Subsection (a-1) and amending Subsection (b) to read as |
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follows: |
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(a-1) The surviving spouse of a person who would be eligible |
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for a specialty license plate under Section 504.308, 504.310, |
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504.315, 504.316, or 504.319 is entitled to register one vehicle |
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under the applicable section as long as the spouse remains |
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unmarried. |
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(b) An applicant [for registration] under this section must |
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submit proof of the eligibility of the applicant's deceased spouse |
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for the applicable specialty license plate. |
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SECTION 2. Section 504.308, Transportation Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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Sec. 504.308. DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS MEDAL RECIPIENTS. |
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[(a)] The department shall issue specialty license plates for |
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persons who have received the Distinguished Flying Cross medal and |
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Distinguished Flying Cross medal with Valor. The license plates |
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must bear a depiction of the Distinguished Flying Cross medal and |
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the words "Distinguished Flying Cross" at the bottom of each |
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license plate. License plates issued under this section to |
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recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross medal with Valor that |
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are not personalized must also include the letter "V" as a prefix or |
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suffix to the numerals on each plate. |
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SECTION 3. Section 504.317, Transportation Code, is amended |
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by adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows: |
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(b-1) A person is eligible to receive specialty license |
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plates under this section if the person is the surviving spouse of a |
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person who had been entitled to specialty plates for veterans with |
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disabilities under Section 504.202, regardless of whether the |
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deceased spouse was issued plates under that section. |
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SECTION 4. Section 521.011, Transportation Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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Sec. 521.011. SERVICES INFORMATION FOR VETERANS. The |
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department and the Texas Veterans Commission shall jointly develop |
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a one-page informational paper about veterans services provided by |
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this state for veterans who receive: |
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(1) a driver's license with a designation under |
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Section 521.1235; or |
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(2) a personal identification certificate with a |
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[veteran's] designation under Section 521.102 [a one-page
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informational paper about veterans services provided by this
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state]. |
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SECTION 5. Section 521.101(l), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(l) The application for the personal identification |
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certificate must provide space for the applicant: |
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(1) to voluntarily list any information [military
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service] that may qualify the applicant to receive a personal |
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identification certificate with a [veteran's] designation under |
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Section 521.102; and |
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(2) to include proof required by the department to |
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determine the applicant's eligibility to receive that designation. |
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SECTION 6. Section 521.102, Transportation Code, is amended |
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by amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsections (b-1), |
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(d), (e), and (f) to read as follows: |
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(a) In this section: |
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(1) "Disability rating" has the meaning assigned by |
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Section 11.22, Tax Code. |
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(2) "Disabled veteran" and[,] "veteran" have the |
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meanings assigned by Section 521.1235 [means a person who:
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[(1) has served in:
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[(A)
the army, navy, air force, coast guard, or
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marine corps of the United States; or
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[(B)
the Texas National Guard as defined by
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Section 431.001, Government Code; and
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[(2)
has been honorably discharged from the branch of
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the service in which the person served]. |
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(b-1) If a disabled veteran provides proof sufficient to the |
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department, the department, on request of the disabled veteran, |
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shall include on a personal identification certificate issued to |
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the disabled veteran in any available space on the face of the |
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personal identification certificate or on the reverse side of the |
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personal identification certificate: |
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(1) a disabled veteran designation; and |
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(2) the branch of the service in which the disabled |
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veteran served. |
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(c) The department shall provide to the recipient of a |
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personal identification certificate with a [veteran's] designation |
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under this section the informational paper described by Section |
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521.011 at the time the certificate is issued. |
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(d) Notwithstanding any other law and except as provided by |
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Subsection (e), for purposes of obtaining a service or benefit |
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available for disabled veterans in this state, a disabled veteran |
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may use a personal identification certificate described by |
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Subsection (b-1) as satisfactory proof: |
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(1) that the disabled veteran has a disability rating |
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described by Section 521.1235(a)(2)(A) or (B), as applicable; and |
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(2) of branch of service and honorable discharge. |
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(e) A personal identification certificate described by |
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Subsection (b-1) is not satisfactory proof of the disabled |
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veteran's disability rating for purposes of obtaining a property |
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tax exemption provided by Chapter 11, Tax Code. |
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(f) A disabled veteran who renews a personal identification |
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certificate described by Subsection (b-1) shall provide proof |
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sufficient to the department of the disabled veteran's disability |
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rating. |
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SECTION 7. Section 521.1235, Transportation Code, is |
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amended by amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsections |
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(b-1), (d), (e), and (f) to read as follows: |
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(a) In this section: |
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(1) "Disability rating" has the meaning assigned by |
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Section 11.22, Tax Code. |
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(2) "Disabled veteran" means a veteran who has |
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suffered a service-connected disability with a disability rating |
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of: |
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(A) at least 50 percent; or |
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(B) 40 percent if the rating is due to the |
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amputation of a lower extremity. |
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(3) "Veteran"[, "veteran"] means a person who: |
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(A) [(1)] has served in: |
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(i) [(A)] the army, navy, air force, coast |
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guard, or marine corps of the United States; or |
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(ii) [ |
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(B)] the Texas National Guard as |
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defined by Section 437.001, Government Code; and |
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(B) [(2)] has been honorably discharged from the |
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branch of the service in which the person served. |
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(b-1) If a disabled veteran provides proof sufficient to the |
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department, the department, on request of the disabled veteran, |
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shall include on a driver's license issued to the disabled veteran |
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in any available space on the face of the driver's license or on the |
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reverse side of the driver's license: |
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(1) a disabled veteran designation; and |
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(2) the branch of the service in which the disabled |
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veteran served. |
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(c) The department shall provide to the recipient of a |
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driver's license with a [veteran's] designation under this section |
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the informational paper described by Section 521.011 at the time |
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the license is issued. |
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(d) Notwithstanding any other law and except as provided by |
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Subsection (e), for purposes of obtaining a service or benefit |
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available for disabled veterans in this state, a disabled veteran |
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may use a driver's license described by Subsection (b-1) as |
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satisfactory proof: |
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(1) that the disabled veteran has a disability rating |
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described by Subsection (a)(2)(A) or (B), as applicable; and |
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(2) of branch of service and honorable discharge. |
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(e) A driver's license described by Subsection (b-1) is not |
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satisfactory proof of the disabled veteran's disability rating for |
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purposes of obtaining a property tax exemption provided by Chapter |
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11, Tax Code. |
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(f) A disabled veteran who renews a driver's license |
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described by Subsection (b-1) shall provide proof sufficient to the |
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department of the disabled veteran's disability rating. |
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SECTION 8. Section 521.142(i), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(i) The application must provide space for the applicant: |
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(1) to voluntarily list any information [military
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service] that may qualify the applicant to receive a license with a |
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[veteran's] designation under Section 521.1235; and |
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(2) to include proof required by the department to |
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determine the applicant's eligibility to receive that designation. |
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SECTION 9. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 377 was passed by the House on March |
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29, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 146, Nays 0, 1 present, not |
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voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B. |
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No. 377 on May 26, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 142, Nays 0, 2 |
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present, not voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 377 was passed by the Senate, with |
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amendments, on May 24, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays |
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0. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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APPROVED: __________________ |
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Date |
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__________________ |
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Governor |