HBA-MPA H.B. 2554 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2554
By: Jones, Charles
Transportation
4/12/1999
Introduced

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, the Texas Department of Transportation issues specialized
license plates recognizing more than 60 different groups including families
of police officers killed in the line of duty, survivors of all major wars,
mothers who lost a child while serving in the United States armed forces,
and former prisoners of war.  The Air forces Escape and Evasion Society was
founded in 1964.  Its membership consists of those who have been forced
down behind enemy lines and avoided or escaped from enemy captivity.  H.B.
2554 authorizes the Texas Department of Transportation to issue specialized
license plates for members of the Air Forces Escape and Evasion Society. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Subchapter F, Chapter 502, Transportation Code, by
adding Section 502.2571, as follows: 

Sec. 502.2571. MEMBERS OF AIR FORCES ESCAPE & EVASION SOCIETY. (a) Requires
the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to issue specially designed
license plates for passenger cars and light trucks owned by members of the
Air Forces Escape & Evasion Society. 

(b) Provides that license plates issued under this section must include Air
Forces Escape & Evasion Society's logo. 

(c) Requires TxDOT to issue license plates under this section to a person
who applies on a form prescribed by the department, pays an annual fee of
$3, and submits proof  that the person is a member of the Air Forces Escape
& Evasion Society. 

(d) Requires the department to send 50 cents of each fee collected under
this section to the county in which the applicant resides.  Requires the
county treasurer to credit money received under this section to the general
fund of the county to pay the costs of administering this section. 

(e) Provides that a vehicle for which license plates have been issued under
this section is exempt from the fee under Section 502.161 (Fee:  Passenger
Car, Municipal Bus, Private Bus). 

(f) Provides that a person may be issued one set of license plates under
this section. 

(g) Requires an owner who disposes of a vehicle registered under this
section during the registration year to return the special license plates
to TxDOT.  Authorizes the owner to then apply for issuance of those plates
to another vehicle. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.