HBA- MPA S.B. 21 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 21 By: Zaffirini Transportation 4/20/1999 Engrossed BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, Texas law provides for the issuance of disabled placards to an individual who meets the requirements of Section 502.253 (Persons With Disabilities), Transportation Code. Institutions and facilities such as continuing care facilities, convalescent homes, retirement communities, nursing homes, and personal care facilities are required to obtain a placard for each individual they transport. This requires the institution to submit a renewal form annually for each of the patients or residents who qualifies. This process can be a burden on the disabled Texan and the facility. Furthermore, the institutions must ensure that the placards in their vehicles match the passengers they are transporting. S.B. 21 eases the burden on disabled individuals and the institutions that care for them by providing for the issuance of specialty license plates for vehicles used for the purpose of transporting individuals with 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 Subchapter F, Chapter 502, Transportation Code, by adding Section 502.2531, as follows: Sec. 502.2531. ISSUANCE OF DISABLED PLATES TO CERTAIN INSTITUTIONS. Requires the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to provide for the issuance of specially designed license plates for a van or bus owned by an institution, facility, or residential retirement community including an institution licensed as a convalescent or nursing home, continuing care facility, or personal care facility, where one or more persons with a disability as described in Section 502.253(b), Transportation Code, resides. Provides that the applicant use a form provided by TxDOT, submitted to the assessor-collector of the county in which the facility is located, and accompanied by the regular vehicle registration fee and a written statement signed by the administrator or manager, certifying that the institution, facility, or residential retirement community regularly transports persons with the described disabilities. Requires TxDOT to determine eligibility of the institution, facility, or residential retirement community on the evidence the applicant provides. SECTION 2. Amends Chapter 681, Transportation Code, by adding Section 681.0032, as follows: Sec. 681.0032. ISSUANCE OF DISABLED PARKING PLACARDS TO CERTAIN INSTITUTIONS. Requires TxDOT to provide for the issuance of a disabled parking placard for a van or bus owned by an institution, facility, or residential retirement community including an institution licensed as a convalescent or nursing home, continuing care facility, or personal care facility, where one or more persons with a disability as described in Section 502.253(b), Transportation Code, resides. Provides that the applicant use a form provided by TxDOT, submitted to the assessor-collector of the county in which the facility is located, and accompanied by a $5 fee and a written statement signed by the administrator or manager certifying that the institution, facility, or residential retirement community regularly transports persons with the described disabilities. Requires TxDOT to determine eligibility on the evidence the applicant provides. SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 4. Emergency clause.