87R7015 CXP-D By: Dominguez H.B. No. 2309 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the penalties for the illegal use of a parking space or area designated specifically for persons with disabilities; increasing criminal fines. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Sections 681.011(g) and (k), Transportation Code, are amended to read as follows: (g) Except as provided by Subsections (h)-(k), an offense under this section is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than $500 or more than $1,000 [$750]. (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 $1,650 [$1,250] and 50 hours of community service. SECTION 2. Sections 681.011(h), (i), and (j), Transportation Code, as amended by Chapters 1160 (H.B. 3095) and 1336 (S.B. 52), Acts of the 81st Legislature, Regular Session, 2009, are reenacted and 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 or more than $1,050 [$800]; and (2) 10 hours of community service. (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 or more than $1,050 [$800]; and (2) 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 or more than $1,450 [$1,100]; and (2) 30 hours of community service. SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred before that date. SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.