HBA-DMH H.B. 428 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 428 By: Morrison Transportation 4/5/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, recipients of the distinguished Purple Heart Award are eligible to obtain special license plates acknowledging their services and sacrifices for their country. The charge for the first set of plates is $3, and each set for an additional vehicle is $15. In addition, the first vehicle registered with the plates is exempt from the standard vehicle registration fee. House Bill 428 removes the annual vehicle registration fee exemption and provides that the fee for each additional set of Purple Heart license plates is equal to the applicable annual vehicle registration fee for that vehicle. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 428 amends the Transportation Code to require the Texas Department of Transportation to charge the applicable annual vehicle registration fee for a second or subsequent set of Purple Heart license plates issued to Purple Heart recipients. The bill also removes the exemption from the annual vehicle registration fee offered to a person registering one or more vehicles. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.