78R4952 JRJ-D

By:  Phillips                                                     H.B. No. 1913



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the issuance of Smile Texas Style license plates to 
benefit the Texas Dental Association Financial Services.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Subchapter F, Chapter 502, Transportation Code, 
is amended by adding Section 502.2736 to read as follows:
	Sec. 502.2736.  SMILE TEXAS STYLE LICENSE PLATES.  (a)  The 
department shall issue specially designed "Smile Texas Style" 
license plates for passenger cars and light trucks.
	(b)  The license plates must include the words "Smile Texas 
Style" and be designed by the department in consultation with the 
Texas Dental Association.
	(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:                          
		(1)  $22 shall be deposited to the credit of the general 
revenue fund to be used only by the Texas Department of Health in 
making grants to benefit the Texas Dental Association Financial 
Services for the sole use of providing charitable dental care; and
		(2)  $8 shall be deposited to the credit of the state 
highway fund to defray the cost of administering this section.
	(e)  If license plates issued under this section are lost, 
stolen, or mutilated, the owner of the vehicle for which the license 
plates were issued may obtain replacement plates from the 
department by paying a replacement fee of $5.  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.
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.