Bill Text: TX SB615 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to the issuance of state parklands passports to and a waiver of certain state park fees for veterans and certain family members of a person who died while serving in the United States armed forces.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-02-17 - Referred to Vet Affairs [SB615 Detail]

Download: Texas-2023-SB615-Introduced.html
  88R4822 MP-D
 
  By: Blanco S.B. No. 615
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the issuance of state parklands passports to and a
  waiver of certain state park fees for veterans and certain family
  members of a person who died while serving in the United States
  armed forces.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Sections 13.018(a) and (c), Parks and Wildlife
  Code, are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  The following people may apply to the department for a
  state parklands passport:
               (1)  a resident of this state who is 65 years old or
  over who has resided in the state for six consecutive months
  preceding the date of application for a parklands passport, a
  member of the United States armed forces on active duty who is 65
  years old or over, or any other individual in a category that the
  commission by rule designates as a resident of this state who is 65
  years old or over;  
               (2)  a veteran of the armed services of the United
  States [who, as a result of military service, has a
  service-connected disability, as defined by the Veterans'
  Administration, consisting of the loss of the use of a lower
  extremity or of a 60 percent disability rating and who is receiving
  compensation from the United States because of the disability];
  [and]
               (3)  an individual who has a physical or mental
  impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life
  activities of the individual; and
               (4)  a surviving spouse, parent, child, or sibling of a
  person who died while serving in the United States armed forces.
         (c)  The holder of a state parklands passport issued on or
  before August 31, 1995, a person whose birth date is before
  September 1, 1930, or a person [veteran] described by Subsection
  (a)(2) or (a)(4) is entitled to enter any state park without payment
  of an entrance or admission fee.  When a fee is charged by the
  department for entrance of a vehicle into a state park, the vehicle
  of the holder of a state parklands passport is exempt from the fee
  when the holder is present.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
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