HB696 - Relating to waivers for state park entrance fees and hunting and fishing license fees for certain resident first responders.

  89R4043 BEE-D     By: Cortez H.B. No. 696       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to waivers for state park entrance fees and hunting and   fishing license fees for certain resident first responders.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 13.015, Parks and Wildlife Code, is   amended by amending Subsection (a-2) and adding Subsections (a-3)   and (a-4) to read as follows:          (a-2)   The department shall waive the park entrance fee for a   resident who is a first responder who:                 (1)     has completed at least 20 years of continuous   service as a first responder; or                 (2)     has a disability connected to service as a first   responder consisting of the loss of the use of a lower extremity or   of a disability rating of 50 percent or more.           (a-3)  For purposes of Subsection (a-2):                 (1)     "First responder" has the meaning assigned by   Section 42.012.                 (2)  "Resident" means:                       (A)     an individual who has resided continuously in   this state for more than six months immediately before visiting the   state park; and                       (B)     an individual described by Section   42.001(1)(B), (C), (D), (E), or (F).           (a-4)   The department may promote visits and enhance revenue   at parks, including amounts necessary for salaries, advertising,   consumable supplies and materials, promotional products, fees, and   related expenses.          SECTION 2.  Section 42.012, Parks and Wildlife Code, is   amended by amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (d) to   read as follows:          (c)   The commission shall waive the fee for a resident who is   a first responder who:                 (1)     has completed at least 20 years of continuous   service as a first responder; or                 (2)     has a disability connected to service as a first   responder consisting of the loss of the use of a lower extremity or   of a disability rating of 50 percent or more.           (d)  In this section:                 (1)  "First responder" means:                       (A)     a firefighter   certified by the Texas   Commission on Fire Protection or by the State Firefighters' and   Fire Marshals' Association of Texas;                         (B)     an individual certified as emergency medical   services personnel by the Department of State Health Services;                       (C)  a municipal police officer;                       (D)     a sheriff, deputy sheriff, or reserve deputy   sheriff; or                       (E)     a constable, deputy constable, or reserve   deputy constable.                 (2)   "Qualified veteran with a disability" means a   veteran with a service connected disability, as defined by the   United States Department of Veterans Affairs, consisting of the   loss of the use of a lower extremity or of a disability rating of 50   percent or more and who is receiving compensation from the United   States for the disability.          SECTION 3.  Section 46.004(c), Parks and Wildlife Code, is   amended to read as follows:          (c)  The commission shall waive the fee for :                 (1)   a qualified veteran with a disability as defined   by Section 42.012 ;                 (2)   [ and for ] a resident on active duty as a member of   the United States military forces, the Texas Army National Guard,   the Texas Air National Guard, or the Texas State Guard ; and                 (3)     a resident who is a first responder as defined by   Section 42.012 and who:                       (A)     has completed at least 20 years of continuous   service as a first responder; or                       (B)     has a disability connected to service as a   first responder consisting of the loss of the use of a lower   extremity or of a disability rating of 50 percent or more .          SECTION 4.  Section 50.002, Parks and Wildlife Code, is   amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:           (c)     The commission shall waive the fee for an annual   combination resident hunting and fishing license for     a resident   who is a first responder as defined by Section 42.012 and who:                 (1)     has completed at least 20 years of continuous   service as a first responder; or                 (2)     has a disability connected to service as a first   responder consisting of the loss of the use of a lower extremity or   of a disability rating of 50 percent or more.          SECTION 5.  (a)  The changes in law made by this Act to   Chapters 42, 46, and 50, Parks and Wildlife Code, apply only to a   fee charged for a hunting, fishing, or combination hunting and   fishing license issued on or after the effective date of this Act.          (b)  A hunting, fishing, or combination hunting and fishing   license issued before the effective date of this Act is governed by   the law in effect when the license was issued, and the former law is   continued in effect for that purpose. The Parks and Wildlife   Department is not required to issue a refund for any license issued   before the effective date of this Act.          SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.