By Morrison                                            H.B. No. 428
         77R1706 MTB-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the fee for special license plates for Purple Heart
 1-3     recipients.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Sections 502.260(c), (e), and (f), Transportation
 1-6     Code, are amended to read as follows:
 1-7           (c)  The department shall issue license plates under this
 1-8     section to a person who:
 1-9                 (1)  applies to the department on a form prescribed by
1-10     the department;
1-11                 (2)  pays an annual fee of:
1-12                       (A)  $3 for the first set of license plates
1-13     issued under this section; and
1-14                       (B)  the applicable annual fee prescribed by
1-15     Section 502.161 [$15] for each additional set of license plates
1-16     issued under this section; and
1-17                 (3)  submits proof that the person has been awarded the
1-18     Purple Heart and is:
1-19                       (A)  an honorably discharged veteran of the
1-20     United States armed forces;
1-21                       (B)  a member of the United States armed forces
1-22     on active duty; or
1-23                       (C)  a civilian national of the United States who
1-24     is an employee or a former employee of a branch of the United
 2-1     States armed forces.
 2-2           (e)  [A person who registers one or more vehicles under this
 2-3     section is entitled to only one exemption from the fee under
 2-4     Section 502.161.]
 2-5           [(f)]  If the owner of a vehicle registered under this
 2-6     section disposes of the vehicle during the registration year, the
 2-7     owner shall return the special license plates to the department.
 2-8     The owner may then apply for issuance of those plates to another
 2-9     vehicle.
2-10           SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001, and
2-11     applies only to a registration fee for a registration period
2-12     beginning on or after that date.