1-1 By: Gallegos S.B. No. 1328 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed March 11, 1999; March 15, 1999, read 1-3 first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs; May 7, 1999, 1-4 reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 8, Nays 0; 1-5 May 7, 1999, sent to printer.) 1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-7 AN ACT 1-8 relating to special license plates for persons retired from service 1-9 in the merchant marine of the United States. 1-10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-11 SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 502, Transportation Code, 1-12 is amended by adding Section 502.2585 to read as follows: 1-13 Sec. 502.2585. PERSONS RETIRED FROM SERVICE IN MERCHANT 1-14 MARINE OF THE UNITED STATES. (a) The department shall issue 1-15 specially designed license plates for passenger cars and light 1-16 trucks owned by persons retired from service in the merchant marine 1-17 of the United States. 1-18 (b) License plates issued under this section must include 1-19 the words "merchant marine." 1-20 (c) The department shall issue license plates under this 1-21 section to a person who: 1-22 (1) applies to the department on a form prescribed by 1-23 the department; 1-24 (2) pays an annual fee of $10 in addition to the fee 1-25 prescribed by Section 502.161 and, if personalized prestige license 1-26 plates are issued, in addition to the fee prescribed by Section 1-27 502.251; and 1-28 (3) submits proof that the person is eligible under 1-29 this section. 1-30 (d) The department shall send 50 cents of each fee collected 1-31 under this section to the county treasurer of the county in which 1-32 the applicant resides. The county treasurer shall credit money 1-33 received under this section to the general fund of the county to 1-34 pay the costs of administering this section. 1-35 (e) A person may be issued only one set of license plates 1-36 under this section. 1-37 (f) If the owner of a vehicle registered under this section 1-38 disposes of the vehicle during the registration year, the owner 1-39 shall return the special license plates to the department. The 1-40 owner may then apply for issuance of those plates to another 1-41 vehicle. 1-42 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999. 1-43 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 1-44 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-45 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-46 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-47 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended. 1-48 * * * * *