S.B. No. 52

	AN ACT
	relating to the penalties for the illegal use of a parking space or
	area designated specifically for persons with disabilities and to
	the unauthorized use of a disabled parking placard.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Subsections (h), (i), (j), and (k), Section
	681.011, Transportation Code, are amended to read as follows:
	(h)  If it is shown on the trial of an offense under this
	section that the person has been previously convicted one time of an
	offense under this section, the offense is punishable by:
	(1)  a fine of not less than $500 [$300] or more than
	$800; and
	(2)  10 hours of community service [$600].
	(i)  If it is shown on the trial of an offense under this
	section that the person has been previously convicted two times of
	an offense under this section, the offense is punishable by:
	(1)  a fine of not less than $550 [$300] or more than
	$800 [$600]; and
	(2)  [not less than 10 or more than] 20 hours of
	community service.
	(j)  If it is shown on the trial of an offense under this
	section that the person has been previously convicted three times
	of an offense under this section, the offense is punishable by:
	(1)  a fine of not less than $800 [$500] or more than
	$1,100 [$1,000]; and
	(2)  30 [not less than 20 or more than 50] hours of
	community service.
	(k)  If it is shown on the trial of an offense under this
	section that the person has been previously convicted four times of
	an offense under this section, the offense is punishable by a fine
	of $1,250 [$1,000] and 50 hours of community service.
	SECTION 2.  Section 681.012, Transportation Code, is amended
	by adding Subsections (a-1) and (a-2) and amending Subsection (b)
	to read as follows:
	(a-1)  A peace officer may seize a disabled parking placard
	from a person who operates a vehicle on which a disabled parking
	placard is displayed if the peace officer determines by inspecting
	the person's driver's license or personal identification
	certificate that the disabled parking placard does not contain the
	first four digits of the driver's license number or personal
	identification certificate number and the initials of:
	(1)  the person operating the vehicle; or
	(2)  a person being transported by the vehicle.
	(a-2)  A peace officer shall submit each seized parking
	placard to the department not later than the fifth day after the
	seizure.
	(b)  On submission to the department under Subsection (a) or
	(a-2), a placard is revoked. On request of the person from whom the
	placard was seized, the department shall conduct a hearing and
	determine whether the revocation should continue or the placard
	should be returned to the person and the revocation rescinded.
	SECTION 3.  (a)  The change in law made by this Act applies
	only to an offense committed on or after September 1, 2009.
	(b)  An offense committed before September 1, 2009, is
	covered by the law in effect when the offense was committed, and the
	former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of
	this subsection, an offense was committed before September 1, 2009,
	if any element of the offense was committed before that date.
	SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
	______________________________	______________________________
	President of the Senate	Speaker of the House
	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 52 passed the Senate on
	March 18, 2009, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 1;
	May 29, 2009, Senate refused to concur in House amendments and
	requested appointment of Conference Committee; May 30, 2009, House
	granted request of the Senate; May 31, 2009, Senate adopted
	Conference Committee Report by the following vote:  Yeas 30,
	Nays 1.
	______________________________
	Secretary of the Senate
	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 52 passed the House, with
	amendments, on May 27, 2009, by the following vote:  Yeas 147,
	Nays 1, one present not voting; May 30, 2009, House granted request
	of the Senate for appointment of Conference Committee;
	May 31, 2009, House adopted Conference Committee Report by the
	following vote:  Yeas 92, Nays 50, one present not voting.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House
	Approved:
	______________________________
	Date
	______________________________
	Governor