BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 269

By: Cortez

Transportation

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles currently offers several different types of specialty license plates recognizing various professions. However, there are no specialty license plates currently available specifically for the public educators of Texas. H.B. 269 seeks to recognize the service of these educators by providing for the issuance of specialty license plates for current and retired classroom teachers.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 269 amends the Transportation Code to require the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) to issue specialty license plates for classroom teachers with at least 15 years of service teaching public school students and for retired classroom teachers who were formerly employed as classroom teachers, are retirees of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, and have at least 20 years of service teaching public school students. The license plates must include the words "Texas Teacher" or "Retired Texas Teacher," as applicable, and depict a Texas public education logo. The bill requires TxDMV to design the license plates in consultation with the Texas Education Agency and sets fees for the issuance of the license plates.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2021.