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78R4473 MTB-F

By:  Gutierrez                                                    H.B. No. 1996



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the issuance of share the road 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.  SHARE THE ROAD LICENSE PLATES.  (a)  The 
department shall issue specially designed license plates for 
passenger cars and light trucks that include:
		(1)  the words "Share The Road"; and                                   
		(2)  an image of a bicycle or a bicycle with a rider.                  
	(b)  The department shall design the license plates in 
consultation with the Texas Bicycle Coalition Education Fund.
	(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 $35, 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):                     
		(1)  $8 shall be deposited to the credit of the state 
highway fund to be used by the department only to defray the cost of 
administering:
			(A)  this section; and                                                
			(B)  any bicycle-related programs of the 
department;                
		(2)  $5 shall be deposited to the credit of an account 
in the general revenue fund that may be appropriated only to the 
Texas Education Agency to promote motorist awareness of bicyclists 
in driver and traffic safety education; and
		(3)  $22 shall be deposited to the credit of the share 
the road account in the state treasury to be used by the Texas 
Education Agency to support the activities of a nonprofit 
organization whose primary purpose is to promote bicyclist safety, 
education, and access through:
			(A)  education and awareness programs; and                            
			(B)  training, workshops, educational materials, 
and media events.  
	(e)  Up to 25 percent of the amount in Subsection (d)(3) may 
be used to support the activities of the nonprofit organization in 
marketing and promoting the share the road concept and license 
plates.
	(f)  The Texas Education Agency may establish reporting and 
other mechanisms necessary to ensure that the money collected under 
this section is spent for purposes for which it is dedicated.
	(g)  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 license plates from the 
department by paying a replacement fee of $5.
	(h)  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.