By Shields                                            H.B. No. 1257
         77R5744 JD-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the issuance of special "Choose Life" license plates.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.   Subchapter F, Chapter 502, Transportation Code,
 1-5     is amended by adding Section 502.304 to read as follows:
 1-6           Sec. 502.304.  CHOOSE LIFE LICENSE PLATES.  (a)  The
 1-7     department shall issue specially designed license plates for
 1-8     passenger cars and light trucks that include the words "Choose
 1-9     Life."
1-10           (b)  The department shall issue license plates under this
1-11     section to a person who:
1-12                 (1)  applies to the county assessor-collector of the
1-13     county in which the person resides on a form provided by the
1-14     department; and
1-15                 (2)  pays an annual fee of $20, in addition to the fee
1-16     prescribed by Section 502.161 and, if personalized prestige license
1-17     plates are issued, in addition to the fee prescribed by Section
1-18     502.251.
1-19           (c)  Of each fee collected under this section, the department
1-20     shall deposit $20 in the state treasury to the credit of a separate
1-21     account in the general revenue fund.  Money deposited in the
1-22     account under this section may be appropriated only to the
1-23     Department of Protective and Regulatory Services to support the
1-24     activities of nonprofit groups in this state whose services are
 2-1     limited to counseling and meeting the physical needs of pregnant
 2-2     women who are committed to placing their children for adoption.
 2-3     The Department of Protective and Regulatory Services shall
 2-4     establish reporting and other mechanisms necessary to ensure that
 2-5     the money is spent for those purposes.
 2-6           (d)  If the owner of a vehicle registered under this section
 2-7     disposes of the vehicle during the registration year, the owner
 2-8     shall return the special license plates to the department.
 2-9           SECTION 2.   This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.