H.B. 571 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


              C.S.H.B. 571
By: Morrison

Transportation 

Committee Report (Substituted)  


BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The society of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas (DRT) was founded in
1891 to perpetuate the memory and spirit of the men and women who achieved
and maintained the independence of Texas. Composed of descendants of Texas
pioneers of the Colonial and Republic periods, the organization encourages
historical research and the preservation of documents, relics, and
historic sites. The society promotes the celebration of Texas Independence
Day (March 2) and San Jacinto Day (April 22) as well as other Texas Honor
Days; finances publication of historical materials, conducts essay
contests and historical programs at schools. The Daughters are custodians
of the Alamo (San Antonio), the French Legation (Austin), and a museum in
the Old Land Office Building (Austin).  C.S.H.B. 571 would create a
specialty DRT license plate with the proceeds going toward the
preservation of historic Texas sites and/or funding educational programs
that teach Texas history. 

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

This bill would amend Chapter 502 of the Transportation Code to add a
special license plate benefitting the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. 

The bill would direct the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to
issue specially designed Daughter of the Republic of Texas license plates
for passenger cars and light trucks.  The plates would have to include the
words "Daughters of the Republic of Texas" and be approved by the
Daughters of the Republic of Texas.  Plates would be issued by TxDOT to a
person applying to the county tax assessorcollector of the county in which
the person resides. 

In addition to the normal registration fees, a person would pay an annual
fee of $30, of which $20 would be credited to the newly-created GR
Account--Daughters of the Republic of Texas, to be used only by the Texas
Department of Economic Development in making grants to the Daughters of
the Republic of Texas for the purposes of (1) the preservation of historic
Texas sites; or (2) funding educational programs that teach Texas history.
The remaining $10 would be deposited to the credit of the State Highway
Fund 0006, to be used only to defray the cost of administering this
license plate. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2003

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 571 amends lines 11 and 12 of the original bill to replace the
words "Daughters of the Republic of Texas" with "Native Texan".  This
change reflects the actual intent of the bill. 

C.S.H.B. 571 also amends line 4 of the original bill to replace the words
"the maintenance, repair, and  operation of the Alamo" with "(1)  the
preservation of historic Texas sites; or (2)  funding educational programs
that teach Texas history."