By Hupp                                                H.B. No. 683
         76R4071 JD-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the number of license plates to be issued for and
 1-3     displayed on certain motor vehicles.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 502, Transportation Code,
 1-6     is amended by adding Section 502.010 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 502.010.  STATE-OWNED MOTOR VEHICLES AND AUTHORIZED
 1-8     EMERGENCY VEHICLES; ISSUANCE AND DISPLAY OF LICENSE PLATE.  (a)
 1-9     Notwithstanding anything in this chapter to the contrary, including
1-10     Section 502.180, the department shall issue only one license plate
1-11     for attachment at the rear of a motor vehicle owned by this state
1-12     or an authorized emergency vehicle for which the plate is issued.
1-13           (b)  Notwithstanding anything in this chapter to the
1-14     contrary, including Section 502.404(a), a person is entitled to
1-15     operate on a public highway a motor vehicle owned by this state or
1-16     an authorized emergency vehicle that displays only one license
1-17     plate if the plate is attached at the rear of the vehicle.
1-18           (c)  In this section, "authorized emergency vehicle" has the
1-19     meaning assigned by Section 541.201.
1-20           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.  The
1-21     change in law made by this Act  relating to the display of license
1-22     plates on a vehicle owned by the state or an authorized emergency
1-23     vehicle that is operated on a public highway applies only to the
1-24     operation of a vehicle on a public highway on or after September 1,
 2-1     1999.  The display of license plates on a vehicle owned by the
 2-2     state or an authorized emergency vehicle before September 1, 1999,
 2-3     is covered by the law in effect when the vehicle was operated and
 2-4     the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
 2-5           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-6     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-7     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-8     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-9     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.