78R7280 DWS-D

By:  Jones of Dallas                                              H.B. No. 2306



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to new millennium special license plates and to the new 
millennium reading program account.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  The heading of Section 502.2663, Transportation 
Code, is amended to read as follows:
	Sec. 502.2663.  TEXAS READS [NEW MILLENNIUM] LICENSE PLATES.
	SECTION 2.  Sections 502.2663(a), (b), and (f), 
Transportation Code, are amended to read as follows:
	(a)  The department shall issue specially designed Texas 
reads  [new millennium] license plates for passenger cars and light 
trucks.
	(b)  The license plates must bear the words "Texas Reads"
["New Millennium"] and be of a color, quality, and design approved 
by the department from entries submitted by middle school students 
in a competition conducted by the department.
	(f)  The department shall deposit each fee collected under 
Subsection (d)(2) to the credit of an account in the general revenue 
fund to be known as the Texas reads [new millennium reading] program 
account.  Money from the account may be used only to make grants 
under Section 441.0092, Government Code.  The account is composed 
of:
		(1)  money required to be deposited to the credit of the 
account under this subsection;  and
		(2)  donations made to the account.                                           
	SECTION 3.  (a) The change in law made by this Act to Section 
502.2663(f), Transportation Code, is only to change the name of the 
new millennium reading program account and does not affect the 
existence or contents of the account.
	(b)  The Texas Department of Transportation is not required 
to issue Texas reads license plates until the department has issued 
all new millennium license plates in stock on the effective date of 
this Act. New millennium license plates to which this subsection 
applies are governed by Section 502.2663, Transportation Code, as 
it existed immediately before the effective date of this Act, and 
that law is continued in effect for that purpose.
	SECTION 4.  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.