HBA-NRS H.B. 1705 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1705 By: Smithee Transportation 4/5/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The 150,000-member Air Force Association is an independent, nonprofit, civilian aerospace organization that promotes public understanding of military aerospace power and national defense. In Texas, there are approximately 16 local chapters and 19,000 members. House Bill 1705 requires the Texas Department of Transportation to issue license plates for passenger cars and light trucks that bear the words "Air Force Association" with a portion of the profits from the sale of the plates going to projects of the Air Force Association of Texas. 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 1705 amends the Transportation Code to require the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to issue license plates for passenger cars and light trucks that bear the words "Air Force Association." The bill requires TxDOT to design the plates in consultation with the Air Force Association of Texas and requires TxDOT to issue the plates to a person who completes the specified application and pays the prescribed fees. The bill requires $5 of each fee collected for the plates to be used by TxDOT only to defray the cost of administering the plates and requires TxDOT to deposit the remainder of each fee collected to the credit of the Air Force Association of Texas account in the state treasury. The bill authorizes the use of the account by the Texas Veterans Commission in making grants to benefit projects sponsored by the Air Force Association of Texas. If the owner of a vehicle for which plates were issued disposes of the vehicle during a registration year, the bill requires the owner to return the plates to TxDOT. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2001.