TWT S.B. 1506 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS


TRANSPORTATION
S.B. 1506
By: Gallegos (Yarbrough)
5-9-97
Committee Report (Unamended)



BACKGROUND 

Currently, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo presents many types of
scholarships annually, ranging from one-year awards to four-year
scholarships.  Each year approximately 1,100 young people attend college
on show-sponsored financial assistance.  This bill would require the Texas
Department of Transportation to issue specially designed Houston Livestock
Show and Rodeo license plates to persons who apply and pay a fee.  The
proceeds would be credited to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
scholarship account in the state treasury and be used only by the Texas
Higher Education Coordinating Board in making grants to benefit the
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.   

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 1506 requires the Texas Department of Transportation to
issue specially designed Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo license plates
to persons who apply and pay a fee of $30.  In addition, this bill would
require $20 of each fee to be deposited in the Houston Livestock Show and
Rodeo scholarship account in the state treasury to be used for grants that
benefit the show. 

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: 

Sec. 502.292.  HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO LICENSE PLATES.  Requires
the Department of Transportation (department) to issue specially designed
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo license plates for passenger cars and
light trucks.  Requires the license plates to include certain words and be
of a color, quality, and design approved by the Houston Livestock Show and
Rodeo.  Requires the department to issue license plates under this section
to persons who apply and pay as provided by this section.  Requires the
department to deposit $20 of each fee collected under this section to the
credit of the Houston Livestock Show and  Rodeo scholarship account in the
state treasury.  Authorizes the use of money in the account only by the
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in making grants to benefit the
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.  Requires the remainder of each fee
collected ($10) under this section, after deposit as provided by
Subsection (d), to be deposited to the credit of the state highway fund
and authorizes the remainder of each fee to be used only to defray the
cost of administering this section.  Requires the owner of a vehicle
registered under this section, if the owner disposes of the vehicle during
the registration year, to return the special license plates to the
department.   

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1997.

SECTION 3. Emergency clause.