78R4862 JD-F

By:  Wohlgemuth                                                   H.B. No. 1655



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the issuance of "Choose Life" license plates and to the 
creation of the Choose Life account in the general revenue fund.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Subchapter F, Chapter 502, Transportation Code, 
is amended by adding Section 502.304 to read as follows:
	Sec. 502.304.  CHOOSE LIFE LICENSE PLATES.  (a)  The 
department shall issue specially designed license plates for 
passenger cars and light trucks that include the words "Choose 
Life."
	(b)  The department shall design the license plates in 
consultation with the attorney general.
	(c)  The department shall issue license plates under this 
section to a person who:
		(1)  applies to the county 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 and, if personalized prestige license 
plates are issued, in addition to the fee prescribed by Section 
502.251.
	(d)  Of each fee collected under this section, the department 
shall deposit $5 to the credit of the state highway fund and $25 in 
the state treasury to the credit of the Choose Life account 
established by Section 402.031, Government Code.
	(e)  If the owner of a vehicle registered under this section 
disposes of the vehicle during the registration year, the owner 
shall return the special license plates to the department.
	(f)  If the license plates issued under this section are 
lost, stolen, or mutilated, the owner of the vehicle for which the 
plates were issued may obtain replacement plates from the 
department by paying the replacement fee prescribed by Section 
502.184(a)(2).
	SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 402, Government Code, is 
amended by adding Sections 402.031 and 402.032 to read as follows:
	Sec. 402.031.  CHOOSE LIFE ACCOUNT.  (a)  The Choose Life 
account is a separate account in the general revenue fund.  The 
account is composed of:
		(1)  money deposited to the credit of the account under 
Section 502.304, Transportation Code; and
		(2)  gifts, grants, donations, and legislative 
appropriations.       
	(b)  The attorney general administers the Choose Life 
account.  The attorney general may spend money credited to the 
account only to:
		(1)  make grants to an eligible organization; and                      
		(2)  defray the cost of administering the account.                     
	(c)  The attorney general may accept gifts, donations, and 
grants from any source for the benefit of the account.
	(d)  The attorney general by rule shall establish:                      
		(1)  guidelines for the expenditure of money credited 
to the Choose Life account; and
		(2)  reporting and other mechanisms necessary to ensure 
that the money is spent in accordance with this section.
	(e)  In this section, "eligible organization" means an 
organization in this state that:
		(1)  qualifies as a charitable organization under 
Section 501(c)(3), Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended;
		(2)  provides counseling and material assistance to 
pregnant women who are considering placing their children for 
adoption;
		(3)  does not charge for services provided;                            
		(4)  does not provide abortions or abortion-related 
services or make referrals to abortion providers; and
		(5)  is not affiliated with an organization that 
provides abortions or abortion-related services or makes referrals 
to abortion providers.
	Sec. 402.032.  CHOOSE LIFE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.  (a)  The 
attorney general shall appoint a seven-member Choose Life advisory 
committee.
	(b)  The committee shall:                                               
		(1)  meet at least twice a year or as called by the 
attorney general;
		(2)  assist the attorney general in developing rules 
under Section 402.031(d); and
		(3)  review and make recommendations to the attorney 
general on applications submitted to the attorney general for 
grants funded with money credited to the Choose Life account.
	(c)  Members of the committee serve without compensation and 
are not entitled to reimbursement for expenses.  Each member serves 
a term of four years, with the terms of three or four members 
expiring on January 31 of each odd-numbered year.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.