Bill Text: TX HB696 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to waivers for state park entrance fees and hunting and fishing license fees for certain resident first responders.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-11-12 - Filed [HB696 Detail]

Download: Texas-2025-HB696-Introduced.html

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89R4043 BEE-D
By: Cortez H.B. No. 696

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to waivers for state park entrance fees and hunting and
fishing license fees for certain resident first responders.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 13.015, Parks and Wildlife Code, is
amended by amending Subsection (a-2) and adding Subsections (a-3)
and (a-4) to read as follows:
(a-2) The department shall waive the park entrance fee for a
resident who is a first responder who:
(1) has completed at least 20 years of continuous
service as a first responder; or
(2) has a disability connected to service as a first
responder consisting of the loss of the use of a lower extremity or
of a disability rating of 50 percent or more.
(a-3) For purposes of Subsection (a-2):
(1) "First responder" has the meaning assigned by
Section 42.012.
(2) "Resident" means:
(A) an individual who has resided continuously in
this state for more than six months immediately before visiting the
state park; and
(B) an individual described by Section
42.001(1)(B), (C), (D), (E), or (F).
(a-4) The department may promote visits and enhance revenue
at parks, including amounts necessary for salaries, advertising,
consumable supplies and materials, promotional products, fees, and
related expenses.
SECTION 2. Section 42.012, Parks and Wildlife Code, is
amended by amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (d) to
read as follows:
(c) The commission shall waive the fee for a resident who is
a first responder who:
(1) has completed at least 20 years of continuous
service as a first responder; or
(2) has a disability connected to service as a first
responder consisting of the loss of the use of a lower extremity or
of a disability rating of 50 percent or more.
(d) In this section:
(1) "First responder" means:
(A) a firefighter certified by the Texas
Commission on Fire Protection or by the State Firefighters' and
Fire Marshals' Association of Texas;
(B) an individual certified as emergency medical
services personnel by the Department of State Health Services;
(C) a municipal police officer;
(D) a sheriff, deputy sheriff, or reserve deputy
sheriff; or
(E) a constable, deputy constable, or reserve
deputy constable.
(2) "Qualified veteran with a disability" means a
veteran with a service connected disability, as defined by the
United States Department of Veterans Affairs, consisting of the
loss of the use of a lower extremity or of a disability rating of 50
percent or more and who is receiving compensation from the United
States for the disability.
SECTION 3. Section 46.004(c), Parks and Wildlife Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(c) The commission shall waive the fee for:
(1) a qualified veteran with a disability as defined
by Section 42.012;
(2) [and for] a resident on active duty as a member of
the United States military forces, the Texas Army National Guard,
the Texas Air National Guard, or the Texas State Guard; and
(3) a resident who is a first responder as defined by
Section 42.012 and who:
(A) has completed at least 20 years of continuous
service as a first responder; or
(B) has a disability connected to service as a
first responder consisting of the loss of the use of a lower
extremity or of a disability rating of 50 percent or more.
SECTION 4. Section 50.002, Parks and Wildlife Code, is
amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
(c) The commission shall waive the fee for an annual
combination resident hunting and fishing license for a resident
who is a first responder as defined by Section 42.012 and who:
(1) has completed at least 20 years of continuous
service as a first responder; or
(2) has a disability connected to service as a first
responder consisting of the loss of the use of a lower extremity or
of a disability rating of 50 percent or more.
SECTION 5. (a) The changes in law made by this Act to
Chapters 42, 46, and 50, Parks and Wildlife Code, apply only to a
fee charged for a hunting, fishing, or combination hunting and
fishing license issued on or after the effective date of this Act.
(b) A hunting, fishing, or combination hunting and fishing
license issued before the effective date of this Act is governed by
the law in effect when the license was issued, and the former law is
continued in effect for that purpose. The Parks and Wildlife
Department is not required to issue a refund for any license issued
before the effective date of this Act.
SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.