SRC-LBB C.S.H.B. 510 78(R)BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research CenterC.S.H.B. 510 78R14144 MTB-DBy: Woolley (Ogden) Infrastructure Development and Security 5/2/2003 Committee Report (Substituted) DIGEST AND PURPOSE Current law establishes who is included in the definition of federal judge for the purposes of issuing specially designed U.S. Judge license plates. This definition was added to the Transportation Code in 1997 by S.B. 1630. Prior to that time, federal administrative law judges had been included in this definition and were routinely issued plates before the 1997 change. In order for federal administrative law judges to obtain a specially designed U.S. Judge license plate, they must first be included in the definition of federal judge. C.S.H.B. 510 provides that federal administrative law judges are eligible to receive special license plates that include the words "U.S. A.L. Judge." RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter F, Chapter 502, Transportation Code, by adding Section 502.2971, as follows: Sec. 502.2971. FEDERAL ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGES. (a) Requires the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to issue specially designed license plates for a passenger car or light truck owned by a federal administrative law judge or a retired federal administrative law judge. (b) Requires license plates issued under this section to include the words "U.S. A.L. Judge. (c) Requires TxDOT to issue license plates under this section to certain individuals. (d) Authorizes a person to be issued three sets of license plates under this section. (e) Provides that a registration under this section is for a registration period of 12 consecutive months or until March 31, whichever period is shorter. (f) Requires the owner to surrender the special license plates to TxDOT if the owner of a vehicle registered under this section disposes of the vehicle during the registration period. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2003.