H.B. 460 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


H.B. 460
By: Gallego
Transportation
Committee Report (Unamended)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

State law provides that the registration of a passenger car or light truck
owned by a state official or state judge for a specially designed license
plate is for a registration period of 12 months or until March 31,
whichever period is shorter. Such officials no longer in office or who
have recently left office may not have enough time to renew the
registration of their motor vehicle license plates so that the vehicles
conform to registration requirements of the general public. House Bill 460
requires the registration of specially designed license plates for certain
government officials to be for a period of 12 months or until January 31,
whichever is shorter.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or
institution. 

ANALYSIS

H.B. 460 relating to special license plates for certain government
officials: 

SECTION 1:  Amends Section 502.295 (e) of the Transportation Code to read
that a registration under section 502.295 (e) is for a registration period
of 12 consecutive months or until January 31, which ever period is
shorter.  

SECTION 2. Amends Section 502.295 (g) of the Transportation Code to read
that a state official means a member of the legislature, the governor, the
lieutenant governor, the attorney general, the Commissioner of the General
Land Office, the Comptroller, a member of the Railroad Commission of
Texas, the commissioner of agriculture, the secretary of state or member
of the State Board of Education. 

SECTION 3: Amends Section 502.296 (e) of the Transportation Code to read
that a registration  
period of 12 consecutive months or until January 31, whichever period is
shorter.  

SECTION 4: Amends Section 502.297 (e), Transportation Code to read as
follows that a registration under this section is for a registration
period of 12 consecutive months or until January 31, whichever period is
shorter. 

SECTION 5: Amends Section 502.297 (g) (2), of the Transportation Code to
read that state judge means: a justice of the supreme court, a judge of
the court of criminal appeals, a judge of a court of appeals, a district
court judge, a presiding judge of an administrative judicial district, or
a statutory  county court judge 

SECTION 6: (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), this Act takes effect
September 1, 2003, and applies only to a registration period beginning on
or after that date. 
(b) Sections 1,3, and 4 of this Act take effect April 1, 2004. If the
license plates are issued for a period of less than 12 months because of
the changes in law made by those sections, the Texas Department of
Transportation shall reduce the registration fee for that period
accordingly. 

 EFFECTIVE DATE


This act takes effect September 1, 2003 and applies only to a registration
period beginning on or after that date  

Sections 1, 3, and 4 of this Act take effect April 1, 2004.