HBA-NRS H.B. 15 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 15 By: Corte Transportation 77/17/2001 Enrolled BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE State law requires the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to issue specially designed license plates for motorcycles, passenger cars, and light trucks regularly operated for noncommercial use by or for the transportation of a person with a permanent disability. The law defines a light truck as having a weight of one ton or less. Previously, certain vehicles such as recreational vehicles (RVs) were excluded from receiving license plates for people with permanent disabilities because they weigh more than one ton. Yet, there are permanently disabled persons who utilize RVs for traveling. In addition, facilities, institutions, and residential retirement communities that provide care and transportation for veterans with disabilities were excluded from receiving such license plates for their buses or vans. House Bill 15 requires TxDOT to provide for the issuance of specially designed license plates for motor vehicles operated for noncommercial use by or for the transportation of a person with a permanent disability or a veteran with a disability. 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. ANALYSIS House Bill 15 amends the Transportation Code to require the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to provide for the issuance of specially designed license plates for a van or bus operated by an institution, facility, or residential retirement community in which veterans with disabilities reside. The bill provides that the application for registration must be accompanied by a written statement certifying that the institution, facility, or residential retirement community regularly transports one or more persons who are veterans with a disability. The bill provides for the issuance of specially designed license plates for all motor vehicles with a manufacturer's rated carrying capacity of two tons or less that are regularly operated for noncommercial use by or for the transportation of a person with a permanent disability. The bill also provides that a person entitled to register such a vehicle is entitled to a set of special license plates for each motor vehicle with a carrying capacity of two tons or less owned by the person that is equipped with certain special equipment. The bill requires TxDOT to issue specially designed license plates for all motor vehicles with a manufacturer's rated carrying capacity of two tons or less that are owned by veterans with disabilities. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.