BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 627
88R2686 SRA-D	By: Harris, Cody (Nichols)
	Transportation
	5/4/2023
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Currently, Texas allows the issuance of specialty license plates for persons who are recipients of a Star of Texas Award or a Purple Heart awarded by the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas or another law enforcement agency in the state. H.B. 627 will allow the surviving spouse of a person who is a posthumous recipient of either award to be entitled to the specialty license plate for that award.

The  Star of Texas award is given to emergency medical first responders, firefighters, and peace officers who are seriously injured or killed in the line of duty, and private citizens who are injured or killed aiding a peace officer, firefighter, or emergency medical first responder in their duties.

H.B. 627 amends the Transportation Code, entitling the surviving spouse of a person who was the posthumous recipient of a Star of Texas Award or a Purple Heart to specialty license plates.  

H.B. 627 amends current law relating to the issuance of specialty license plates to the surviving spouse of a posthumous recipient of certain awards.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 504.416, Transportation Code, as follows:

Sec. 504.416.� STAR OF TEXAS AWARD RECIPIENTS.� (a) �Creates this subsection from existing text.

(b) Entitles the surviving spouse of a person who was the posthumous recipient of an award described by Subsection (a) (relating to requiring the Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) to issue specialty license plates to recipients of the Star of Texas Award) to specialty license plates issued under this section.

SECTION 2. Amends Section 504.5115, Transportation Code, by adding Subsection (d) to entitle the surviving spouse of a person who was the posthumous recipient of an award described by Subsection (a) (relating to requiring TxDMV to issue specialty license plates to recipients of the Purple Heart Award) to specialty license plates issued under Section 504.115 (Certain Purple Heart Recipients).

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2023.