BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center H.B. 1480
79R5384 JRJ-D By: Gattis (Staples)
Transportation & Homeland Security
AUTHOR'S/SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Currently there is a specialty license plate for the Boy Scouts of America (Transportation Code Section 504.608); however, the statute clearly instructs that money collected from the sale of these plates is dedicated to Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (TCADA). For Fiscal Year 2004, a little over $7,000 in revenue was generated from the sale of these plates. The money was deposited by the comptroller of public accounts in the General Revenue Fund; however, the monies were not requested by TCADA. TCADA has been merged into another agency, and thus, is no longer in existence.
Currently, the nonprofit organization, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), does not have a specialty license plate. MADD has educational programs aimed at preventing drunk driving. H.B. 1480 would create a specialty license plate for MADD and allocate the money remaining, after administrative costs are paid, to educational programs sponsored by MADD.
Additionally, H.B.1480 would allocate the money remaining, after administrative costs are paid, from the Boy Scout specialty license plate, already created, to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, to be used for grants that benefit educational programs sponsored by Boy Scout councils in Texas.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 504.608, Transportation Code, as follows:
Sec. 504.608. New heading: MOTHERS AGAINST DRUNK DRIVING LICENSE PLATES. (a) Requires the Texas Department of Transportation (department) to issue specialty license plates that include the words "Mothers Against Drunk Driving, rather than "Boy Scouts of America." Requires the department to design the license plates in consultation with Mothers Against Drunk Driving, rather than the Boy Scouts of America.
(b) Authorizes the remainder of the fee for issuance of the license plates, after deduction of the department's administrative costs, to be appropriated only to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (board) in making grants to benefit, rather than the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse for, drug-abuse prevention and education programs sponsored by Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Deletes existing text relating to nonprofit organizations. Deletes existing Subsection (c).
SECTION 2. Amends Subchapter G, Chapter 504, transportation Code, by adding Section 504.6545, as follows:
Sec. 504.6545. BOY SCOUT LICENSE PLATES. (a) Requires the department to issue specialty license plates that include the words "Boy Scouts of America." Requires the department to design the license plates in consultation with the Boy Scouts of America.
(b) Requires the remainder of the fee for the issuance of license plates, after deduction of the department's administrative costs, to be deposited to the credit of the Boy Scout account in the general revenue fund. Authorizes money in the account to be used only by the board in making grants to benefit educational projects sponsored by Boy Scout councils in this state.
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2005.