HBA-NIK H.B. 1227 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1227
By: Jones, Jesse
Transportation
4/10/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

H.B. 1227 creates the "New Millennium" license plates program, the proceeds
of which will fund programs promoting reading at public libraries.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Subchapter F, Chapter 502, Transportation Code, by
adding Section 502.2663, as follows: 

Sec. 502.2663.  NEW MILLENNIUM LICENSE PLATES.  (a)  Requires the Texas
Department of Transportation (department) to issue specially designed new
millennium license plates for passenger cars and light trucks. 

(b)  Provides that the license plates must bear the words "New Millennium"
and be of a color, quality, and design approved by the department from
entries submitted by middle school students in a competition conducted by
the department. 

(c)  Requires the department to issue license plates to a person who
applies to the assessor-collector of the county in which the person resides
and pays the appropriate fee. 

(d)  Requires the department to set an annual administration fee, not to
exceed $5, and an annual additional amount of $25 for each set of plates or
$15 for each set of plates for a fleet of 50 or more vehicles. 

(e) Provides that the administration fee may only be used to defray the
cost of administering this section. 

(f)  Requires the department to deposit any additional fees collected into
a general revenue fund to be known as the new millennium reading program
account.  Provides that money from this account may only be used to make
grants under Section 441.0092, Government Code.  Provides that the account
is composed of any additional funds collected and any donations made to the
account. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Subchapter A,  Chapter 441, Government Code, by adding
Section 441.0092, as follows: 

Sec. 441.0092.  NEW MILLENNIUM READING PROGRAM GRANTS.  (a)  Requires the
Texas Transportation Commission (commission) to use the money in the new
millennium reading program account to make grants to fund programs to
promote reading provided by public libraries. 

(b)  Requires the commission to determine standards that a reading
promotion program  must meet to be eligible for a grant, to provide the
procedures for application for a grant, and to determine the recipient and
amount of each grant. 

SECTION 3.Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 4.Emergency clause.