TWT H.B. 2681 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS TRANSPORTATION H.B. 2681 By: Hawley 4-25-97 Committee Report (Amended) BACKGROUND 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. PURPOSE As introduced, HB 2681creates a special license plate issued by the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) 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. 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. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter F, Chapter 502, Transportation Code, by adding Section 502.2731. (a) Requires TXDOT to issue specially designed license plates that include the words "Keep Texas Beautiful", designed by Keep Texas Beautiful, Inc. (b) Requires TXDOT to issue plates under this section to a person who: (1) applies to the county assessor-collector of the county in which the person resides on a form provided by TXDOT; and (2) Pays an annual fee of $50.00, in addition to the fee in Section 502.161, and if personalized prestige license plates are issued, in addition to the fee prescribed by Section 502.251. (c) Creates a special nonlapsing fund, known as the Keep Texas Beautiful trust fund, within the general revenue fund. Money in this fund is allocated to Keep Texas Beautiful, Inc. Interest earned and other money deposited becomes available for use as prescribed for the fund. (d) TXDOT shall deposit $45 of the fee in the state treasury to the credit of the Keep Texas Beautiful trust fund. (e) TXDOT shall deposit the remainder of each fee to the credit of the state highway fund to defray administrative costs. (f) Provides a replacement fee of $5 for lost or mutilated plates and mandates the return of the license plates to the TXDOT if the owner of the registered vehicle disposes of the vehicle during a registration year. (g) Provides for an unlimited number of license plate applications. (h) Mandates money in the Keep Texas Beautiful trust fund be allocated to Keep Texas Beautiful, Inc. The money shall be transferred not more than one time per calendar year as determined by the TXDOT. SECTION 2. Amends Section 502.252, Transportation Code to allow a person applying for license plates under Section 502.258, 502.259, 502.260, 502.261, 502.262, 502.263, 502.264, 502.265, 502.269, 502.270, 502.271, 502.272, 502.273, 502.2731 or 502.274 the option of being assigned a license plate number by TXDOT or applying for personalized prestige plates under Section 502.251. SECTION 3. Emergency clause. Effective upon passage. EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS COMMITTEE AMENDMENT # 1 clarifies that the $50 fee for Keep Texas Beautiful plates is in addition to the fees for Sections 502.161 or 502.162. The original only referenced Sec. 502.161.