78R3662 MTB-D
By: Kuempel H.B. No. 499
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the issuance of urban forestry license plates.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 502, Transportation Code,
is amended by adding Section 502.2737 to read as follows:
Sec. 502.2737. URBAN FORESTRY LICENSE PLATES. (a) The
department shall issue specially designed license plates for
passenger cars and light trucks.
(b) The department shall design the license plates in
consultation with any organization described in Subsection (d).
(c) The department shall issue license plates under this
section to a person who:
(1) applies to the assessor-collector of the county in
which the person resides on a form provided by the department; and
(2) pays an annual fee of $30, in addition to the fee
prescribed by Section 502.161 or 502.162 and, if personalized
prestige license plates are issued, in addition to the fee
prescribed by Section 502.251.
(d) Of each fee collected under Subsection (c)(2), $8 shall
be used by the department only to defray the cost of administering
this section. The department shall deposit the remainder of each
fee collected to the credit of the urban forestry account in the
state treasury. Money in the account may be used by the Texas
Forest Service in making grants to support the activities of a
statewide nonprofit organization located in Texas whose primary
purpose is to sponsor projects involving urban and community:
(1) tree planting;
(2) tree preservation; and
(3) tree education programs.
(e) If the owner of a vehicle for which license plates were
issued under this section disposes of the vehicle during a
registration year, the owner shall return the special license
plates to the department.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2003.