C.S.H.B. 749 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


C.S.H.B. 749
By: Smithee
Transportation
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

C.S.H.B. 749 78(R)    The 150,000-member Air Force Association is an
independent, nonprofit, civilian aerospace organization that promotes
public understanding of military aerospace power and national defense. In
Texas, there are approximately 16 local chapters and 19,000 members. CSHB
749 requires the Texas Department of Transportation to issue license
plates for passenger cars and light trucks that bear the words "Air Force
Association" with a portion of the profits from the sale of the plates
going to projects of the Air Force Association of Texas.  

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

CSHB 749 amends the Transportation Code to require the Texas Department of
Transportation (TxDOT) to issue license plates for passenger cars and
light trucks that bear the words "Air Force Association." The bill
requires TxDOT to design the plates in consultation with the Air Force
Association of Texas and requires TxDOT to issue the plates to a person
who completes the specified application and pays the prescribed fees. The
bill requires $8 of each fee collected for the plates to be used by TxDOT
only to defray the cost of administering the plates and requires TxDOT to
deposit the remainder of each fee collected to the credit of the Air Force
Association of Texas account in the state treasury. The bill authorizes
the use of the account by the Texas Veterans Commission in making grants
to benefit projects sponsored by the Air Force Association of Texas. If
the owner of a vehicle for which plates were issued disposes of the
vehicle during a registration year, the bill requires the owner to return
the plates to TxDOT.  

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2003.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

The substitute differs from the original in that the substitute has an
annual license plate fee of $30, and the original had an annual license
plate fee of $35.