HBA-TYH S.B. 1358 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 1358
By: Barrientos
Transportation
5/17/1999
Engrossed


BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, emergency medical services personnel are not provided
specialized license plates.  The purpose of this bill is to provide a means
for emergency personnel to be immediately recognized and allowed access
onto an emergency scene when arriving at the accident scene in the
individual's private vehicle.  S.B. 1358 allows the issuance of specialized
license plates to emergency medical services personnel certified or
licensed by the Texas Department of Health.  

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 502.298, as follows: 

Sec. 502.298. EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PERSONNEL. (a)  Requires the Texas
Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to issue specially designed license
plates for passenger cars and light trucks owned by emergency medical
services personnel who are certified or licensed by the Texas Department of
Health.  

(b)  Requires the license plates to include the words "Emergency Medical
Services" and to display a blue reflective Star of Life.  

(c)  Authorizes a person to apply to TxDOT for registration on a required
form prescribed by TxDOT through the county assessor-collector of the
county in which the person resides.  Requires TxDOT to prescribe the form
of the application.  Requires TxDOT to require the applicant to submit
satisfactory proof of eligibility under this section.  

(d) Provides that the registration fee for the issuance of the special
plates under this section is the fee otherwise prescribed for the vehicle
by this chapter (Registration of Vehicles) plus an additional fee of $4.
Requires the county assessor-collector to send the additional fee to TxDOT
to defray the cost of providing the special license plates.  

(e)  Provides that registration under this section is valid for one year. 

(f)  Authorizes a person to register only one vehicle for the person's own
use.  

(g)  Requires the registered vehicle owner to return the special license
plates to TxDOT if the owner disposes of the vehicle during the
registration year.  Authorizes the owner to then register another vehicle
under this section.  

(h) Requires the owner to return the special license plates to TxDOT if
action is taken by the Texas Department of Health resulting in loss of the
certification or license of the owner of the vehicle.  

SECTION 2.Effective date: September 1, 1999. 

SECTION 3.Emergency clause.