TWT S.B. 745 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS TRANSPORTATION S.B. 745 By: Carona (Gutierrez) 5-9-97 Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND Currently, Texas law does not provide for the issuance of special license plates to a mother, or a spouse of a mother, of a person who died while serving in the United States armed forces. The State of New York recently enacted such a law. PURPOSE As proposed, C.S.S.B. 745 requires the Department of Transportation to issue specially designed license plates to a mother of a person who died while serving in the United States armed forces, provided that the mother applies to the department, pays an annual fee, and establishes eligibility. 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 Chapter 502F, Transportation Code, by adding Section 502.292, as follows: Section 502.292. GOLD STAR MOTHERS. Requires the Department of Transportation to issue specially designed license plates for a passenger car or light truck owned by a mother of a person who died while serving in the United States armed forces. Requires license plates issued under this section to include the words "Gold Star Mother," and a gold star. Requires the department to issue license plates under this section to a person who is eligible, applies, and pays a certain fee. Requires the department to sent 50 cents of each fee collected under this section to the county treasurer of the county in which the applicant resides. Requires the county treasurer to credit money received under this section to the general fund of the county to pay the costs of administering this section. Requires the remainder of each fee collected under this section to be deposited to the credit of the state highway fund. Authorizes a person to be issued only one set of license plates under this section. Requires the owner, if the owner disposes of the vehicle during the registration year, to return the special license plates to the department. Authorizes the owner to then apply for issuance of those plates to another vehicle. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1997. SECTION 3. Emergency clause. COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE CAPTION. Changed to conform to the body of the bill. SECTION 1. The original bill authorizes issuance of special license plates to the mother or spouse of a mother of a person who died while serving in the United States armed forces. The substitute limits the issuance of these special plates to the mother of a person who died in the United States armed forces.