AN ACT

 1-1     relating to a special license plate for a mother of a person who

 1-2     died while serving in the United States armed forces.

 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Subchapter F, Chapter 502, Transportation Code,

 1-5     is amended by adding Section 502.292 to read as follows:

 1-6           Sec. 502.292.  GOLD STAR MOTHERS.  (a)  The department shall

 1-7     issue specially designed license plates for a passenger car or

 1-8     light truck owned by a mother of a person who died while serving in

 1-9     the United States armed forces.

1-10           (b)  License plates issued under this section  must include

1-11     the words "Gold Star Mother" and a gold star.

1-12           (c)  The department shall issue license plates under this

1-13     section to a person who:

1-14                 (1)  applies to the department on a form prescribed by

1-15     the department;

1-16                 (2)  pays an annual fee of $10, in addition to the fee

1-17     prescribed by Section 502.161 or 502.162, and, if personalized

1-18     prestige license plates are issued, in addition to the fee

1-19     prescribed by Section 502.251; and

1-20                 (3)  submits proof that the person is eligible under

1-21     this section.

1-22           (d)  The department shall send 50 cents of each fee collected

1-23     under this section to the county treasurer of the county in which

 2-1     the applicant resides.  The county treasurer shall credit money

 2-2     received under this section to the general fund of the county to

 2-3     pay the costs of administering this section.  The remainder of each

 2-4     fee collected under this section shall be deposited to the credit

 2-5     of the state highway fund.

 2-6           (e)  A person may be issued only one set of license plates

 2-7     under this section.

 2-8           (f)  If the owner of a vehicle registered under this section

 2-9     disposes of the vehicle during the registration year, the owner

2-10     shall return the special license plates to the department.  The

2-11     owner may then apply for issuance of those plates to another

2-12     vehicle.

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 hereby certify that S.B. No. 745 passed the Senate on

         April 3, 1997, by a viva-voce vote; and that the Senate concurred

         in House amendment on May 22, 1997, by a viva-voce vote.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Secretary of the Senate

               I hereby certify that S.B. No. 745 passed the House, with

         amendment, on May 21, 1997, by a non-record vote.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Chief Clerk of the House

         Approved:

         _______________________________

                     Date

         _______________________________

                   Governor