By Armbrister                                         S.B. No. 1353
         77R7520 DWS-D                           
                                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. Sections 502.2555(c) and (e)-(g), Transportation
 1-5     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
 2-1     section is entitled to only one exemption [vehicle for which
 2-2     license plates are issued under this section is exempt] from the
 2-3     fee under Section 502.161.
 2-4           (f)  [A person may be issued only one set of license plates
 2-5     under this section.]
 2-6           [(g)]  If the owner of a vehicle registered under this
 2-7     section disposes of the vehicle during the registration year, the
 2-8     owner shall return the special license plates to the department.
 2-9     The owner may then apply for issuance of those plates to another
2-10     vehicle.
2-11           SECTION 2. Section 502.257, Transportation Code, is amended
2-12     by amending Subsections (a), (d), and (f) and adding Subsection (g)
2-13     to read as follows:
2-14           (a)  A person is entitled to register under this section, for
2-15     the person's own use, passenger cars and light trucks [one
2-16     passenger car or light truck without payment of a registration fee]
2-17     if the person:
2-18                 (1)  was captured and incarcerated by an enemy of the
2-19     United States during a period of conflict with the United States;
2-20     and
2-21                 (2)  was not discharged from the United States armed
2-22     forces under conditions less than honorable.
2-23           (d)  The fee for issuance of license plates under this
2-24     section is:
2-25                 (1)  $3 for the first set of license plates issued
2-26     under this section; and
2-27                 (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 another
 3-6     vehicle [register another vehicle under this section without
 3-7     charge].
 3-8           (g)  A person who registers one or more vehicles under this
 3-9     section is entitled to only one exemption from the fee under
3-10     Section 502.161.
3-11           SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.