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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a waiver of certain state park fees for military service |
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members and veterans. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 13.018(a) and (c), Parks and Wildlife |
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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; |
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(2) a veteran or an active duty member of: |
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(A) the armed services of the United States; |
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(B) the Texas Army National Guard; |
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(C) the Texas Air National Guard; or |
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(D) the Texas State Guard [who, as a result of
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military service, has a service-connected disability, as defined by
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the Veterans' Administration, consisting of the loss of the use of a
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lower extremity or of a 60 percent disability rating and who is
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receiving compensation from the United States because of the
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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, a person whose birth date is before |
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September 1, 1930, or a veteran or active duty member of the armed |
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services described by Subsection (a)(2) is entitled to enter any |
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state park without payment of an entrance or admission fee. When a |
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fee is charged by the department for entrance of a vehicle into a |
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state park, the vehicle of the holder of a state parklands passport |
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is exempt from the fee when the holder is present. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |