Sec. 13.018. STATE PARKLANDS PASSPORT. (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.

(b) The department shall issue a passport to each qualified applicant. The passport shall be issued on a form designed and provided by the department.

(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 veteran described by Subsection (a)(2) 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.

(d) The department may discount or waive a park entrance fee for a resident of this state issued an initial state parklands passport after August 31, 1995. When a fee is charged by the department for entrance of a vehicle into a state park, the vehicle of the holder of an initial state parklands passport may enter any state park on payment of a lower vehicle entrance fee. The department may waive vehicle entrance fees for any state park for the holder of an initial state parklands passport.

(e) The commission by rule shall establish eligibility requirements and privileges available to the holder of a state parklands passport described by Subsection (a)(3).

Acts 1975, 64th Leg., p. 1405, ch. 545, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1975. Amended by Acts 1977, 65th Leg., p. 36, ch. 19, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 29, 1977; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 629, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 387, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.