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.