By:  Armbrister                                       S.B. No. 1353
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the issuance of certain veterans license plates.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Subsections (c), (e), (f), and (g), Section
 1-5     502.2555, Transportation Code, are amended to read as follows:
 1-6           (c)  The department shall issue license plates under this
 1-7     section to a person who:
 1-8                 (1)  applies to the department on a form prescribed by
 1-9     the department;
1-10                 (2)  pays an annual fee of:
1-11                       (A)  $3 for the first set of license plates
1-12     issued under this section; and
1-13                       (B)  $15 for each additional set of license
1-14     plates issued under this section;
1-15                 (3)  submits proof that the person has been awarded the
1-16     Air Force Cross or Distinguished Service Cross, the Army
1-17     Distinguished Service Cross, the Navy Cross, or the Medal of Honor;
1-18     and
1-19                 (4)  submits proof that the person is:
1-20                       (A)  an honorably discharged veteran of the
1-21     United States armed forces; or
1-22                       (B)  a member of the United States armed forces
1-23     on active duty.
1-24           (e)  A person who registers one or more vehicles under this
1-25     section is entitled to only one exemption [vehicle for which
 2-1     license plates are issued under this section is exempt] from the
 2-2     fee under Section 502.161.
 2-3           (f)  [A person may be issued only one set of license plates
 2-4     under this section.]
 2-5           [(g)]  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.  Section 502.257, Transportation Code, is amended
2-11     by amending Subsections (a), (d), and (f) and adding Subsection (g)
2-12     to read as follows:
2-13           (a)  A person is entitled to register under this section, for
2-14     the person's own use, passenger cars and light trucks [one
2-15     passenger car or light truck without payment of a registration fee]
2-16     if the person:
2-17                 (1)  was captured and incarcerated by an enemy of the
2-18     United States during a period of conflict with the United States;
2-19     and
2-20                 (2)  was not discharged from the United States armed
2-21     forces under conditions less than honorable.
2-22           (d)  The fee for issuance of license plates under this
2-23     section is:
2-24                 (1)  $3 for the first set of license plates issued
2-25     under this section; and
2-26                 (2)  $15 for each additional set of license plates
 3-1     issued under this section.
 3-2           (f)  If the owner of a vehicle registered under this section
 3-3     disposes of the vehicle during the registration year, the owner
 3-4     shall return the special license plates to the department.  The
 3-5     owner may then apply for issuance of those plates to [register]
 3-6     another vehicle [under this section without charge].
 3-7           (g)  A person who registers one or more vehicles under this
 3-8     section is entitled to only one exemption from the fee under
 3-9     Section 502.161.
3-10           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.