HBA-NRS H.B. 15 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 15 By: Corte Transportation 4/5/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Current law requires the Texas Department of Transportation 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 manufacturer's rated carrying capacity of one ton or less. Certain vehicles such as recreational vehicles (RVs) are 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. House Bill 15 require the Texas Department of Transportation to provide for the issuance of specially designed license plates for all motor vehicles regularly operated for noncommercial use by or for the transportation of a person with a permanent 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 to provide for the issuance of specially designed license plates for motor vehicles, rather than motorcycles, passenger cars, and light trucks, 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, rather than a motorcycle, passenger car, or light truck, owned by the person that is equipped with certain special equipment. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.