1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the issuance of Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug

 1-3     Abuse license plates.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter F, Chapter 502, Transportation Code,

 1-6     is amended by adding Section 502.293 to read as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 502.293.  TEXAS COMMISSION ON ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE

 1-8     LICENSE PLATES.  (a)  The department shall issue specially designed

 1-9     Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse license plates for

1-10     passenger cars and light trucks.

1-11           (b)  The department shall design the license plates in

1-12     consultation with the Boy Scouts of America.

1-13           (c)  The department shall issue license plates under this

1-14     section to a person who:

1-15                 (1)  applies to the county assessor-collector of the

1-16     county in which the person resides on a form provided by the

1-17     department; and

1-18                 (2)  pays an annual fee of $30, in addition to the fee

1-19     prescribed by Section 502.161, and, if personalized prestige

1-20     license plates are issued, in addition to the fee prescribed by

1-21     Section 502.251.

1-22           (d)  Of each fee collected under this section, the department

1-23     shall deposit $20 to the credit of the general revenue fund and $10

1-24     to the credit of the state highway fund.

 2-1           (e)  Money deposited to the credit of the general revenue

 2-2     fund under Subsection (d) may be appropriated only to the Texas

 2-3     Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse for drug-abuse prevention

 2-4     programs provided by nonprofit organizations that primarily serve

 2-5     children.  In selecting a program provider under this subsection,

 2-6     it is the intent of the legislature that to the extent permissible,

 2-7     a preference be given to a provider whose membership substantially

 2-8     consists of persons who purchase the specially designed license

 2-9     plates under this section.

2-10           (f)  If the owner of a vehicle registered under this section

2-11     disposes of the vehicle during the registration year, the owner

2-12     shall return the special license plates to the department.

2-13           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

2-14           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

2-15     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-16     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-17     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-18     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

         _______________________________     _______________________________

             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House

               I certify that H.B. No. 2198 was passed by the House on May

         16, 1997, by a non-record vote.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Chief Clerk of the House

               I certify that H.B. No. 2198 was passed by the Senate on May

         26, 1997, by a viva-voce vote.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Secretary of the Senate

         APPROVED:  _____________________

                            Date

                    _____________________

                          Governor