HBA-MSH C.S.H.B. 1257 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 1257
By: Shields
Transportation
4/24/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

According to the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services (PRS),
2,063 adoptions were completed in Texas in 2000.  PRS spent $58 million in
adoption subsidy payments in fiscal year 2000. PRS could benefit from more
resources for adoption services as well as increased public awareness of
the issue.  C.S.H.B. 1257 creates a special "Choose Life" license plate,
the fees from which will go to PRS to fund nonprofit groups that provide
adoption support services. 

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

C.S.H.B. 1257 amends the Transportation Code to require the Texas
Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to issue specially designed license
plates for passenger cars and light trucks that bear the words "Choose
Life."  The bill provides for the issuance and return of the plates.  From
the annual fee of $50, the bill requires TxDOT to deposit $25 to the credit
of the state highway fund and $25 to the credit of a separate account in
the general revenue fund which may be appropriated only to the Department
of Protective and Regulatory Services (PRS) to support nonprofit groups in
the state that exclusively counsel and meet the needs of pregnant women who
are committed to placing their children for adoption.    The bill prohibits
PRS from using money appropriated under these provisions for proabortion
advertising or to support the activities of an entity that is involved or
associated with abortion activities or charges women for services.  The
bill requires the PRS to establish reporting and other mechanisms necessary
to ensure that the money is spent for approved purposes.   

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 1257 differs from the original bill by increasing the fee charged
for special "Choose Life" license plates (license plate) from $20 to $50,
and by requiring that $25 of that fee be deposited in the state highway fee
and $25 in a separate account in the general revenue fund.  The substitute
prohibits the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services from using
money appropriated from the license plate fund for proabortion advertising
or to support the activities of an entity that is involved with abortion
activities or charges women for services.