By Keel                                               H.B. No. 3589
         Line and page numbers may not match official copy.
         Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the issuance of special license plates for emergency
 1-3     medical services personnel.
 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 502.298 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 502.298.  EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PERSONNEL.
 1-8     (a)  The department shall issue specially designed license plates
 1-9     for passenger cars and light trucks owned by emergency medical
1-10     services personnel certified or licensed by the Texas Department of
1-11     Health.
1-12           (b)  The license plates shall include the words "Emergency
1-13     Medical Services" and shall display a blue reflective Star of Life.
1-14           (c)  A person may apply to the department for registration
1-15     under this section at any time through the county
1-16     assessor-collector of the county in which the person resides.  The
1-17     department shall prescribe the form of the application.  The
1-18     department shall require the applicant to submit satisfactory proof
1-19     of eligibility under this section.
1-20           (d)  The fee for registration under this section and issuance
1-21     of the special plates is the fee otherwise prescribed for the
 2-1     vehicle by this chapter plus an additional fee of $4.  The county
 2-2     assessor-collector shall send the additional fee to the department
 2-3     to defray the cost of providing the special license plates.
 2-4           (e)  Registration under this section is valid for one year.
 2-5           (f)  A person may register, for the person's own use, only
 2-6     one vehicle under this section.
 2-7           (g)  The owner of a vehicle registered under this section
 2-8     shall return the special license plates to the department if the
 2-9     owner disposes of the vehicle during the registration year.  The
2-10     owner may then register another vehicle under this section.
2-11           (h)  If action is taken by the Texas Department of Health
2-12     resulting in loss of the certification or license of the owner of
2-13     the vehicle, the owner shall return the special license plates to
2-14     the department.
2-15           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-16           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-17     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-18     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-19     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-20     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.