BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2323

By: Hayes

Transportation

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

"Texas, Our Texas" was written in 1924, the music by William J. Marsh and the lyrics by Gladys Yoakum Wright. The song was selected as the official state song by a concurrent resolution of the Texas Legislature in 1929, following a statewide competition. The 73rd Legislature again adopted "Texas, Our Texas" as the state song in 1993 and the song will be celebrating its centennial anniversary in 2024. The song has been performed at state functions and football games and has been sung by school children for generations. Its prominence as the state song for the past 100 years is deserving of recognition. C.S.H.B. 2323 seeks to honor the state song by creating a one time general issue license plate to commemorate the centennial anniversary of the writing of "Texas, Our Texas."

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

C.S.H.B. 2323 amends the Transportation Code to require license plates issued by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) during the five-year period beginning January 1, 2024, other than specialty license plates, to be designed to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the writing of the state song, "Texas, Our Texas," and include the words "Texas, Our Texas" and the dates "1924-2024." The bill requires TxDMV to deplete the current inventory of general-issue license plates before issuing the commemorative license plates. These provisions expire January 1, 2030.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023.

COMPARISON OF INTRODUCED AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 2323 may differ from the introduced in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

Whereas the introduced required license plates issued by TxDMV during the calendar year 2024 to be designed to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the writing of the state song, the substitute requires license plates issued by TxDMV during the five-year period beginning January 1, 2024, to commemorate that anniversary.

Both the substitute and the introduced require the license plates to include the words "Texas, Our Texas." However, the substitute requires the plates to also include the dates "1924-2024," which the introduced did not.

The substitute includes a requirement absent from the introduced for TxDMV to deplete the current inventory of general-issue license plates before issuing the commemorative license plates.

Whereas the introduced version's provisions expired January 1, 2025, the substitute's provisions expire January 1, 2030.