SRC-AMY S.B. 1231 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1231
By: Estes/Van de Putte
Infrastructure Development and Security
3/20/2003
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

The United States Department of Defense will recommence its Base
Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process in 2005 and the state's $10 billion
budget shortfall precludes the state from fully funding a concerted,
centralized campaign to promote its military bases, thus avoiding base
closures. There is also a rise in patriotic sentiment concomitant with the
war in Iraq.  A "United We Stand"  license plate would provide a state
sanctioned outlet for patriotic expression and provide a revenue stream
for efforts to prevent the closures of military bases.  As proposed, S.B.
1231 creates a "United We Stand" license plate using only red, white,
blue, and black, the cost of which will cover administrative costs and of
administering the license plate program and support the Texas Military
Preparedness Grant Account 

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 Chapter 502F, Transportation Code, by adding Section
502.2664, as follows: 

Sec. 502.2664.  UNITED WE STAND LICENSE PLATES.  (a) Requires the Texas
Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to issue specially designed license
plates for passenger cars and light trucks to support the Texas Military
Preparedness Grant Account. 

(b) Requires the license to bear the words "United We Stand" and use only
the colors red, white, blue, and black. 

(c) Requires TxDOT to issue the license plates to persons who meet certain
criteria. 

(d) Requires TxDOT to deposit $20 of each fee collected under this section
to the credit of the Texas Military Preparedness Grant Account in the
general revenue fund. 

(e)  Requires remainder of each fee collected under this section, after
deposit as provided by Subsection (d), to be deposited to the credit of
the state highway fund and authorizes that revenue to be used only to
defray the cost of administering this section. 

(f)  Provides that the fee to replace a lost, stolen, or mutilated license
plate issued under this section is $30, in addition to the fee prescribed
by Section 502.184(a) (Replacement of Lost, Stolen, or Mutilated License
Plate). 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 2003.

SECTION 3.  Provides that this Act takes effect only if another Act
creates the Texas Military Preparedness Grant Account and becomes law;
otherwise, this Act has no effect.