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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the notification of a peace officer through an |
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indication associated with vehicle registration that the vehicle |
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owner may be transporting a person with a disability. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 502, Transportation Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 502.062 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 502.062. REGISTRATION BY OWNER WHO TRANSPORTS |
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PASSENGERS WITH DISABILITIES. (a) In this section, "person with a |
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disability" means a person with: |
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(1) a physical, intellectual, behavioral, or |
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cognitive impairment; |
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(2) autism; or |
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(3) a health condition or disability that may impede |
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effective communication with a peace officer. |
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(b) An application for registration must provide space for |
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the applicant to voluntarily indicate that the applicant may |
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transport a person with a disability. The department may request |
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from a person who makes an indication under this subsection |
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verification in the form of a personal attestation. |
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(c) The department shall provide to the Department of Public |
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Safety the vehicle registration information of a person who |
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voluntarily indicated on an application under Subsection (b) that |
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the person may transport a person with a disability. The department |
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may not provide to the Department of Public Safety information that |
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shows the type of health condition or disability a person has. |
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(d) The Department of Public Safety shall establish a system |
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to include information received under Subsection (c) in the Texas |
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Law Enforcement Telecommunications System for the purpose of |
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alerting a peace officer who makes a traffic stop that the operator |
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of the stopped vehicle may be transporting a person with a |
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disability. |
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(e) The Department of Public Safety may not make information |
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received under Subsection (c) available in the Texas Law |
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Enforcement Telecommunications System to a person who has access to |
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the system under a contract unless the contract prohibits the |
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person from disclosing that information to a person who is not |
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subject to the contract. |
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(f) The department may not issue to a person without the |
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person's consent a license plate with a visible marking that |
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indicates to the general public that the person voluntarily |
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indicated on an application under Subsection (b) that the person |
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may transport a person with a disability. |
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(g) Except as provided by Subsection (e), information |
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supplied to the department relating to a person with a disability is |
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for the confidential use of the department and the Department of |
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Public Safety and may not be disclosed to any person. |
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SECTION 2. A Department of Public Safety contract that |
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allows a person to access the Texas Law Enforcement |
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Telecommunications System and that is in effect before the |
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effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the |
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date on which the contract was entered into, and that law is |
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continued in effect for that purpose, except that the contract: |
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(1) continues only for the term of the contract; and |
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(2) may not be renewed unless the renewed contract |
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includes the prohibition required by Section 502.062(e), |
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Transportation Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |