LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
  
                              April 24, 2001
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Clyde Alexander, Chair, House Committee on
               Transportation
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HB1257  by Shields (Relating to the issuance of special
               "Choose Life" license plates.), Committee Report 1st
               House, Substituted
  
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*  No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.        *
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The bill would amend the Transportation Code to authorize the Texas
Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to issue specially designed license
plates for passenger cars and light trucks that include the words "Choose
Life".  The bill would require the cost of a set of plates to be $50 in
addition to any other registration fees.  The bill would also require
that $25 from the proceeds be deposited in the State Treasury to the
credit of a newly-created dedicated account in the General Revenue Fund
and that $25 be deposited in the State Highway Fund.  License plates
issued for similar entities, like "Children's Advocates" and "Volunteer
Advocates," have experienced plate issuances of approximately 600
annually.  The bill would also require that funds deposited in the new
General Revenue account may only be appropriated to the Department of
Protective and Regulatory Services for the purposes of the bill.

The bill take effect September 1, 2001.
  
Local Government Impact
  
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is
anticipated.
  
  
Source Agencies:   
LBB Staff:         JK, JO, RT, MW