HBA-DMH S.B. 258 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 258
By: Barrientos
Transportation
4/5/2001
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, a wide variety of groups are authorized to purchase specialized
license plates related to their profession, but Emergency Medical Services
(EMS) personnel are not able to do so.  Senate Bill 258 requires the Texas
Department of Transportation to issue specially designed license plates for
passenger cars and light trucks owned by EMS personnel.  

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

Senate Bill 258 amends the Transportation Code to require the Texas
Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to issue specially designed license
plates for passenger cars and light trucks owned by emergency medical
services personnel licensed or certified by the Texas Department of Health
under the Emergency Medical Services Act.  The bill authorizes a person to
apply at any time for registration to TxDOT through the county
assessor-collector of the county in which the person resides. The bill
requires TxDOT to prescribe the form of the application and require an
applicant to submit satisfactory proof of eligibility.   

The bill provides applicable registration fees and requires the county
assessor-collector to send the annual fee to TxDOT to defray the cost of
providing the specially designed license plates.  The bill provides that
registration of a vehicle with specially designed emergency medical
services personnel license plates is valid for one registration year and
authorizes a person to register for the person's own use only one vehicle
with the specially designed license plates.  The bill requires the owner of
a vehicle with emergency medical services personnel license plates to
return the license plates to TxDOT if the owner disposes of the vehicle
during the registration year and authorizes the owner to then register
another vehicle with emergency medical services personnel license plates. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001.