SRC-MSY S.B. 1334 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1334
By: Barrientos
Infrastructure Development and Security
3/20/2003
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, no provision exists in Texas law requiring the Texas Department
of Transportation (TxDOT) to issue license plates to benefit Texas music
and musicians.  As proposed, S.B. 1334 requires TxDOT to issue special
license plates in consultation with the Austin Music Foundation, and to
deposit funds from the issuance and renewal of those plates to the credit
of an account created in the general revenue fund by this bill for the
benefit of the Austin Music Foundation.  

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
502.2991, as follows: 

Sec.  502.2991.  TEXAS MUSIC.  (a)  Requires the Texas Department of
Transportation (TxDOT) to issue specially-designed license plates to
support the activities of the Austin Music Foundation, other Texas-based
non-profit members of its Affiliates Program, and the Texas Music Office. 

(b)  Requires the license plates to bear the words "Live Texas Music" and
be of a color, design, appearance, and quality acceptable to and approved
by the Austin Music Foundation in consultation with TxDOT. 

(c)  Requires TxDOT to issue license plates under this section to a person
who applies to the appropriate county assessor-collector on a form
provided by TxDOT and pays an annual fee of $30 for an original issuance
of license plates under this section or $25 for a renewal of issuance of
such license plates, in addition to certain other required fees. 

(d)  Authorizes TxDOT to use $5 of each fee collected under Subsection
(c)(2) to defray the cost of administering this section.  Requires TxDOT
to deposit the remainder of each fee to the credit of the Austin Music
Foundation account via the Texas Music Office established by Section
7.026, Education Code. 

(e)  Authorizes the owner of a vehicle whose license plates issued under
this section are lost, stolen, or mutilated to obtain replacement plates
from TxDOT by paying a replacement fee of $5. 

(f)  Requires the owner of a vehicle with license plates issued under this
section to return the special license plates to TxDOT if the owner
disposes of the vehicle during a registration year. 

 [Although the text of Section 502.2991 is not underlined to indicate that
it is new language, no such section exists in the current code.] 

SECTION 2.  Amends Chapter 7B, Education Code, by adding Section 7.026, as
follows: 

Sec.  7.026.  AUSTIN MUSIC FOUNDATION ACCOUNT.  (a)  Requires the Austin
Music Foundation account to be set up as a separate account in the general
revenue fund. Provides that the account is composed of money deposited to
the account under Section 502.2991, Transportation Code, as added by
Chapter 433, Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999.
Requires funds in the account to be used only for the purposes of this
section. 

[Chapter 433, Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999, added
Section 502.299 to require TxDOT to issue license plates in honor of the
Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA).] 

(b)  Requires the Texas Music Office (TMO) to administer the account.
Authorizes the Texas Education Agency to spend money credited to the
account only to make grants to benefit the educational and community
programs sponsored by the Austin Music Foundation and certain members of
its Affiliates Program.  Requires an administration fee of $5 per plate to
be retained by TMO for performance of administration duties. 

SECTION 3.  Effective date:  September 1, 2003.
Makes application of this Act prospective.