By Eiland                                             H.B. No. 3480
         77R7108 DWS-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to special license plates to aid the recovery,
 1-3     rehabilitation, and release of stranded marine mammals.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 502, Transportation Code, is
 1-6     amended by adding Section 502.2911 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 502.2911.  DOLPHIN RESCUE TEAM LICENSE PLATES. (a)  The
 1-8     department shall issue specially designed "Dolphin Rescue Team"
 1-9     license plates for passenger cars and light trucks.
1-10           (b)  The license plates must be of a color, quality, and
1-11     design approved by the department in consultation with the Texas
1-12     Marine Mammal Stranding Network and must include the words "Dolphin
1-13     Rescue Team."
1-14           (c)  The department shall issue the license plates under this
1-15     section to a person who:
1-16                 (1)  applies to the county assessor-collector of the
1-17     county in which the person resides on a form provided by the
1-18     department; and
1-19                 (2)  pays an annual fee of $25, in addition to the fee
1-20     prescribed by Section 502.161 or 502.162, and, if personalized
1-21     prestige license plates are issued, in addition to the fee
1-22     prescribed by Section 502.251.
1-23           (d)  Of the fee collected under this section, $5 may be used
1-24     to defray the cost of administering this section by the department.
 2-1     The remainder of the fee may be used only by Texas A&M University
 2-2     at Galveston to support the activities of the Texas Marine Mammal
 2-3     Stranding Network in recovering, rehabilitating, and releasing
 2-4     stranded marine mammals.
 2-5           (e)  If the owner of a vehicle registered under this section
 2-6     disposes of the vehicle during the registration year, the owner
 2-7     shall return the special license plates to the department.
 2-8           SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.