By:  Geren                                                        H.B. No. 3425



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the use of certain exhibition vehicles.                           
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 504.502, Transportation Code, is amended 
to read as follows:
	Sec. 504.502.  CERTAIN EXHIBITION VEHICLES; 
OFFENSE.  (a)  The department shall issue specialty license plates 
for a passenger car, truck, motorcycle, or former military vehicle 
that:
		(1)  is at least 25 years old, if the vehicle is a 
passenger car, truck, or motorcycle;
		(2)  is a collector's item;                                                   
		(3)  is used exclusively for exhibitions, club 
activities, parades, and other functions of public interest and is 
not used for regular transportation; and
		(4)  does not carry advertising.                                              
	(b)  The license plates must include the words "Antique 
Auto," "Antique Truck," "Antique Motorcycle," or "Military 
Vehicle," as appropriate.
	(c)  A person eligible for the license plates may instead use 
license plates issued by this state in the same year as the model 
year of the vehicle and approved by the department, provided that a 
passenger car must bear passenger car or truck license plates and a 
truck must bear passenger car or truck license plates.  The 
department may require attachment of a registration insignia to the 
license plate in a manner that does not affect the display of 
information originally on the license plate.
	(d)  License plates issued or approved under this section 
expire on the fifth anniversary of the date of issuance or approval.
	(e)  The fee for issuance or approval of license plates under 
this section is:
		(1)  $10 for each year or portion of a year remaining in 
the five-year registration period if the vehicle was manufactured 
in 1921 or later; or
		(2)  $8 for each year or portion of a year remaining in 
the five-year registration period if the vehicle was manufactured 
before 1921.
	(f)  The department may exempt a former military vehicle from 
the requirement to display a license plate or registration insignia 
if the exemption is necessary to maintain the vehicle's accurate 
military markings.  The department may approve an alternative 
registration insignia that is compatible with the vehicle's 
original markings.
	(g)  A person entitled to specialty license plates or to 
department approval under this section may register the vehicle 
without payment of any fees paid for or at the time of registration 
except the fee for the license plate.  An owner of a vehicle 
registered under this subsection who violates this section commits 
an offense.  An offense under this section is a misdemeanor 
punishable by a fine of not less than $5 or more than $200.
	(h)  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a vehicle 
issued license plates under Subsection (a) shall be required to 
attach and display only one license plate on the rear of the 
vehicle.
	(i)  In this section, "former military vehicle" means a 
vehicle, including a trailer, regardless of the vehicle's size, 
weight, or year of manufacture, that:
		(1)  was manufactured for use in any country's military 
forces; and         
		(2)  is maintained to represent its military design and 
markings accurately.
	(j)  It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under this 
section that a vehicle is in route to or from a location for the 
purpose of routine maintenance.
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.