1-1     By:  Carona                                            S.B. No. 171
 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed January 18, 1999; January 28, 1999,
 1-3     read first time and referred to Committee on Veteran Affairs and
 1-4     Military Installations; February 23, 1999, reported favorably by
 1-5     the following vote:  Yeas 5, Nays 0; February 23, 1999, sent to
 1-6     printer.)
 1-7                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-8                                   AN ACT
 1-9     relating to expanding the Legion of Valor license plate privilege
1-10     to the unmarried surviving spouses of veterans.
1-11           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-12           SECTION 1.  Section 502.266, Transportation Code, is amended
1-13     to read as follows:
1-14           Sec. 502.266.  SURVIVING SPOUSES OF CERTAIN MILITARY
1-15     VETERANS.  (a)  The surviving spouse of a person who would be
1-16     eligible for license plates under Section 502.254 is entitled to
1-17     continue to register one motor vehicle under that section as long
1-18     as the spouse remains unmarried.
1-19           (b)  The surviving spouse of a person who would be eligible
1-20     for license plates under Section 502.2555 is entitled to register
1-21     one motor vehicle under that section as long as the spouse remains
1-22     unmarried.
1-23           (c)  The surviving spouse of a person who would be eligible
1-24     for license plates under Section 502.257 is entitled to register
1-25     one motor vehicle under that section as long as the spouse remains
1-26     unmarried.
1-27           (d) [(c)]  The surviving spouse of a person who was killed in
1-28     action while serving in the United States armed forces is entitled
1-29     to register one or more motor vehicles under Section 502.258 as
1-30     long as the spouse remains unmarried.
1-31           (e) [(d)]  The surviving spouse of a person who would be
1-32     eligible for license plates under Section 502.259 or 502.260 is
1-33     eligible to register one or more motor vehicles under that section
1-34     as long as the spouse remains unmarried.
1-35           (f) [(e)]  The surviving spouse of a person who would be
1-36     eligible for license plates under Section 502.264 is eligible to
1-37     register one or more motor vehicles under that section.
1-38           (g) [(f)]  An applicant for registration under this section
1-39     must submit proof of the eligibility of the applicant's deceased
1-40     spouse for registration under Section 502.254, 502.2555, 502.257,
1-41     502.258, 502.259, 502.260, or 502.264, as applicable.
1-42           (h) [(g)]  The county assessor-collector shall require an
1-43     applicant for registration under this section to make a statement
1-44     that the spouse is unmarried.  The statement must be sworn if the
1-45     spouse renews a registration under Section 502.257, 502.259, or
1-46     502.260.
1-47           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-48           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-49     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-50     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-51     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-52     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
1-53                                  * * * * *