SRC-HRD H.B. 2681 75(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 2681
By: Hawley (Lindsay)
Finance
5-13-97
Engrossed


DIGEST 

The Keep Texas Beautiful Proud Community Program establishes a standard
for annual approval and recognition of Texas communities with ongoing
litter prevention and beautification efforts. Creating a special Keep
Texas Beautiful license plate would help fund community improvement
programs in Texas.

H.B. 2681 would create a special license plate issued by the Texas
Department of Transportation for the "Keep Texas Beautiful" Program.  The
$50 annual fee will be dedicated to a special nonlapsing fund, to be known
as the Keep Texas Beautiful trust fund, created under this bill. The money
in the trust fund will be transferred to Keep Texas Beautiful, Inc.
   
PURPOSE

As proposed, H.B. 2681 creates a special license plate issued by the Texas
Department of Transportation for the "Keep Texas Beautiful" Program; and
provides that $50 annual fee will be dedicated to the Keep Texas Beautiful
trust fund and be transferred to Keep Texas Beautiful, Inc.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

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

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 502F, Transportation Code, by adding Section
502.2731, as follows: 

Sec. 502.2731.  KEEP TEXAS BEAUTIFUL LICENSE PLATES.  Requires the
Department of Transportation (department) to issue specially designed
license plates for passenger cars and light commercial motor vehicles
having a manufacturer's rated carrying capacity of one ton or less that
include the words "Keep Texas Beautiful" and are of a color, quality, and
design approved by Keep Texas Beautiful, Inc.  Requires the department to
issue license plates under this section to certain persons.  Provides that
there is created in the general revenue fund a special nonlapsing fund to
be known as the Keep Texas Beautiful trust fund. Requires money deposited
in the fund to be dedicated to the purposes set forth in Subsection (h).
Requires money in the fund to be held in interest-bearing account in
public depositories authorized by law and provides that the money may be
invested and reinvested in such securities as are approved by the state.
Provides that interest earned and other money from appropriated funds and
any other source deposited into the Keep Texas Beautiful trust fund
becomes a part of the fund and available as prescribed for the fund.   

(d)  Requires the department to deposit the remainder of each fee
collected under this section in the state treasury to the credit of the
Keep Texas Beautiful trust fund. 

(e)  Requires the department to deposit the remainder of each fee
collected under this section after deposit as provided by Subsection (d)
in the state treasury to the credit of the state highway fund to be used
only to defray the cost of administering this section.   

(f) Sets forth provisions applicable if the license plates are lost,
stolen, or mutilated.  Sets  forth provisions applicable if the owner of a
vehicle for which license plates were issued under this section disposes
of the vehicle during a registration year.   

(g)  Provides that there is no limit to the number of passenger cars and
light commercial motor vehicles for which the person may apply for the
issuance of license plates under this section.   

(h) Sets forth provisions regarding the allocation of money deposited in
the trust fund. Sets forth provisions regarding the transference of money
from the trust fund to Keep Texas Beautiful, Inc. 

SECTION 2. Amends Section 502.252, Transportation Code, to set forth
certain authorizations for a person applying for license plates under
Section 502.2731, among other sections. 

SECTION 3. Emergency clause.
  Effective date: upon passage.