SRC-AMY S.B. 908 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 908 78R7134 JTS-DBy: Lindsay Infrastructure Development and Security 3/19/2003 As Filed DIGEST AND PURPOSE Currently, there is not a license plate designed specifically for the Texas Blood Center. Such a license plate would encourage blood donations. As proposed, S.B. 908 establishes a Be A Blood Donor account in the general revenue fund, and a Be A Blood Donor special license plate program. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Board of Health in SECTION 1 (Section 162.016, Health and Safety Code) of this bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 162, Health and Safety Code, by adding Sections 162.016 and 162.017, as follows: Sec. 162.016. BE A BLOOD DONOR ACCOUNT. (a) Provides that the be a blood donor account is a separate account in the general revenue fund composed of certain funds. (b) Provides that the Texas Department of Health (TDH) administers the account and authorizes TDH to spend money credited to the account for certain programs, nonprofit blood centers, and to defray the cost of administering the account. (c) Authorizes the Texas Board of Health (board) to accept gifts, grants, and donations from any source for the benefit of the account, and requires the board to establish guidelines for spending account funds. Sec. 162.017. BE A BLOOD DONOR ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (a) Requires the commissioner of public health (commissioner) to appoint a five-member advisory committee (committee) composed of certain persons. (b) Requires the commissioner to designate a presiding officer of the committee. (c) Requires the committee to perform certain duties. (d) Provides that members of the committee serve without compensation or reimbursement for expenses, and serve staggered four-year terms, with as near to onehalf of the terms as possible expiring on January 31 of each even-numbered year. SECTION 2. Amends Chapter 502F, Transportation Code, by adding Section 502.304, as follows: Sec. 502.304. "BE A BLOOD DONOR" LICENSE PLATES. (a) Requires the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to issue "Be A Blood Donor" license plates for passenger cars and light trucks. (b) Requires TxDOT to design the license plates in consultation with the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center in Houston. (c) Requires TxDOT to issue the license plates to persons who meet certain criteria. (d) Requires that $8 of the fee collected under Subsection (c) be used to defray the cost of administering this section and the rest to be deposited in the be a blood donor account in the state treasury. (e) Requires the vehicle owner to return the license plates to TxDOT upon disposal of the vehicle during a registration year. SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2003.