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.