Certain eligible people may apply for a state parklands passport, and the department must issue it to qualified applicants.
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 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) an honorably discharged veteran of the United States armed services; (3) a member of the United States armed services on active duty; (4) a surviving spouse, parent, child, or sibling of a person who died while serving in the United States armed forces; and (5) 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 person described by Subsection (a)(2), (3), or (4) 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) A state parklands passport issued to a person described by Subsection (a)(3) is valid for one year from the date of issuance and may be renewed in the manner prescribed by commission rule. (f) The commission by rule shall establish eligibility requirements and privileges available to the holder of a state parklands passport described by Subsection (a)(5). 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. Amended by: Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 227 (H.B. 1740), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2023.