1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to special license plates for persons retired from service
 1-3     in the merchant marine of the United States.
 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 502.2585 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 502.2585.  PERSONS RETIRED FROM SERVICE IN MERCHANT
 1-8     MARINE OF THE UNITED STATES.  (a)  The department shall issue
 1-9     specially designed license plates for passenger cars and light
1-10     trucks owned by persons retired from service in the merchant marine
1-11     of the United States.
1-12           (b)  License plates issued under this section must include
1-13     the words "merchant marine."
1-14           (c)  The department shall issue license plates under this
1-15     section to a person who:
1-16                 (1)  applies to the department on a form prescribed by
1-17     the department;
1-18                 (2)  pays an annual fee of $10 in addition to the fee
1-19     prescribed by Section 502.161 and, if personalized prestige license
1-20     plates are issued, in addition to the fee prescribed by Section
1-21     502.251; and
1-22                 (3)  submits proof that the person is eligible under
1-23     this section.
1-24           (d)  The department shall send 50 cents of each fee collected
 2-1     under this section to the county treasurer of the county in which
 2-2     the applicant resides.  The county treasurer shall credit money
 2-3     received under this section to the general fund of the county to
 2-4     pay the costs of administering this section.
 2-5           (e)  A person may be issued only one set of license plates
 2-6     under this section.
 2-7           (f)  If the owner of a vehicle registered under this section
 2-8     disposes of the vehicle during the registration year, the owner
 2-9     shall return the special license plates to the department.  The
2-10     owner may then apply for issuance of those plates to another
2-11     vehicle.
2-12           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-13           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-14     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-15     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-16     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-17     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. 2760 was passed by the House on May
         4, 1999, by a non-record vote; and that the House concurred in
         Senate amendments to H.B. No. 2760 on May 26, 1999, by a non-record
         vote.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House
               I certify that H.B. No. 2760 was passed by the Senate, with
         amendments, on May 24, 1999, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays
         0.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Secretary of the Senate
         APPROVED:  _____________________
                            Date
                    _____________________
                          Governor