85R12453 AAF-D     By: Lucio S.B. No. 1685       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to specialty license plates or stickers for motor vehicles   of persons with intellectual disabilities.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 502, Transportation Code,   is amended by adding Section 502.061 to read as follows:          Sec. 502.061.  REGISTRATION BY OWNER WITH INTELLECTUAL   DISABILITY. (a) If the department elects to design and issue a   sticker under Section 504.205(c) indicating that a person operating   a motor vehicle may be a person with an intellectual disability, the   department shall adopt rules allowing an applicant for registration   or renewal of registration to apply for the sticker.           (b)  Rules adopted by the department under this section must   provide for:                (1)  the expiration of the sticker at the end of the   registration period specified in the registration application;                (2)  the location on the motor vehicle where the   sticker must be placed; and                (3)  a fee for issuance of the sticker in an amount to   cover the department's costs for issuance.          (c)  An application for registration or renewal of   registration must provide space for the applicant to submit the   written statement from a physician as required by Section 504.205.          SECTION 2.  Subchapter C, Chapter 504, Transportation Code,   is amended by adding Section 504.205 to read as follows:          Sec. 504.205.  PERSONS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY. (a) In   this section, "intellectual disability" has the meaning assigned by   Section 591.003, Health and Safety Code.          (b)  Subject to Subsection (c), the department, in   consultation with the Department of Public Safety, shall design and   issue specialty license plates for a motor vehicle that is   regularly operated by a person with an intellectual disability. A   license plate issued under this section must include an emblem   indicating that the person operating the vehicle may be a person   with an intellectual disability.           (c)  In lieu of designing and issuing specialty license   plates under Subsection (b), the department, in consultation with   the Department of Public Safety, may design a sticker for a motor   vehicle that is regularly operated by a person with an intellectual   disability and issue the sticker at the time the person registers or   renews the registration of the person's vehicle as provided by   Section 502.061.           (d)  The initial application for specialty license plates   under this section must be accompanied by a written statement from a   physician who is licensed to practice medicine in this state or in a   state adjacent to this state. The statement must certify that the   person making the application has an intellectual disability.          (e)  The fee for issuance of license plates under this   section may not exceed the administrative costs incurred by the   department in issuing the license plates.          SECTION 3.  Section 1701.253, Occupations Code, is amended   by adding Subsection (n) to read as follows:          (n)  As part of the minimum curriculum requirements, the   commission shall establish a statewide comprehensive education and   training program on procedures for interacting with drivers with an   intellectual disability, as defined by Section 591.003, Health and   Safety Code, including identifying specialty license plates or   stickers issued to individuals with an intellectual disability   under Section 504.205 or 502.061, Transportation Code. An officer   shall complete a program established under this subsection not   later than the second anniversary of the date the officer is   licensed under this chapter or the date the officer applies for an   intermediate proficiency certificate, whichever date is earlier.          SECTION 4.  Not later than March 1, 2018, the Texas   Commission on Law Enforcement shall establish the training program   as required by Section 1701.253(n), Occupations Code, as added by   this Act.          SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect January 1, 2018.