S.B. 439 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS S.B. 439 By: Lindsay Law Enforcement Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Under current law, there are prohibitions against the operation of a motor vehicle with certain types of obscured license plates. However, improvements in technology have rendered these prohibitions incomplete. Companies are now marketing technologically advanced products designed to obscure information on license plates to defeat photo radar and enforcement cameras. Senate Bill 439 addresses this issue by updating the prohibitions on the use of devices designed to obscure license plate information. 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 Senate Bill 439 amends Section 502.409(a), Transportation Code, to provide that, in addition to current statutory restrictions, a person commits an offense if the person attaches to or displays on a motor vehicle a number plate or registration insignia that: _ has identification marks that, because of reflective matter, are not plainly visible at all times during daylight; _ has an attached illumination device or emblem not authorized by law and that interferes with the readability of the letters or numbers on the plate or the name of the state in which the vehicle is registered; or _ alters or obscures the letters, numbers, color, or original design features of the plate. EFFECTIVE DATE This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.