HB 1995
AN ACT relating to the notification of a peace officer through an
89th Regular Session
Jan 14, 2025 - Jun 2, 2025 • Session ended
Awaiting Committee Assignment
Bill filed, pending referral to House committee
Committee
Not yet assigned
Fiscal Note
Not available
What This Bill Does
Allows vehicle owners to voluntarily indicate on their registration that they may be transporting a person with a disability, which will create a confidential system to alert peace officers during traffic stops about potential communication challenges. The indication will be added to the Texas Law Enforcement Telecommunications System, ensuring that the information is only used by authorized personnel and remains private, with no public-facing markings on license plates. The voluntary system aims to help law enforcement interact more sensitively with individuals who may have communication difficulties during traffic stops.
Subject Areas
Bill Text
relating to the notification of a peace officer through an indication associated with vehicle registration that the vehicle owner may be transporting a person with a disability. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 502, Transportation Code, is amended by adding Section 502.062 to read as follows: Sec. 502.062. REGISTRATION BY OWNER WHO TRANSPORTS PASSENGERS WITH DISABILITIES. (a) In this section, "person with a disability" means a person with: (1) a physical, intellectual, behavioral, or (3) a health condition or disability that may impede effective communication with a peace officer. (b) An application for registration must provide space for the applicant to voluntarily indicate that the applicant may transport a person with a disability. The department may request from a person who makes an indication under this subsection verification in the form of a personal attestation. (c) The department shall provide to the Department of Public Safety the vehicle registration information of a person who voluntarily indicated on an application under Subsection (b) that the person may transport a person with a disability. The department may not provide to the Department of Public Safety information that shows the type of health condition or disability a person has. (d) The Department of Public Safety shall establish a system to include information received under Subsection (c) in the Texas Law Enforcement Telecommunications System for the purpose of alerting a peace officer who makes a traffic stop that the operator of the stopped vehicle may be transporting a person with a (e) The Department of Public Safety may not make information received under Subsection (c) available in the Texas Law Enforcement Telecommunications System to a person who has access to the system under a contract unless the contract prohibits the person from disclosing that information to a person who is not (f) The department may not issue to a person without the person's consent a license plate with a visible marking that indicates to the general public that the person voluntarily indicated on an application under Subsection (b) that the person may transport a person with a disability. (g) Except as provided by Subsection (e), information supplied to the department relating to a person with a disability is for the confidential use of the department and the Department of Public Safety and may not be disclosed to any person. SECTION 2. A Department of Public Safety contract that allows a person to access the Texas Law Enforcement Telecommunications System and that is in effect before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date on which the contract was entered into, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose, except that the contract: (1) continues only for the term of the contract; and (2) may not be renewed unless the renewed contract includes the prohibition required by Section 502.062(e), Transportation Code, as added by this Act. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
Bill Sponsors
Legislators who authored or co-sponsored this bill.
Bill History
Bill filed: AN ACT relating to the notification of a peace officer through an
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