| TO: | Honorable Mike Krusee, Chair, House Committee on Transportation |
| FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Deputy Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB1977 by Gallego (Relating to the creation of a Star of Texas license plate and the presentation of Star of Texas awards for all peace officers, firefighters, and emergency medical first responders who are killed or sustain serious or fatal injuries in the line of duty.), As Introduced |
The bill would amend the Transportation Code and require the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to design and issue a new specialty license plate with the words "Star of Texas Award Recipient.” The bill would require TxDOT to design the plates in consultation with the Star of Texas Award Advisory Committees and that revenues generated from the sale of the plates be deposited to the credit of the Star of Texas Awards account in the General Revenue Fund for the purposes of being used only by the Office of the Governor for the purpose of purchasing awards to be presented and to administer presentations of the awards.
Provisions of the bill would require that all peace officers, firefighters, and emergency medical first responders who are seriously injured in the line of duty or the surviving next of kin of those killed or those that sustain serious fatal injuries in the line of duty receive the Star of Texas Award and that TxDOT issue specialty license plates for any person who is the recipient of a Star of Texas Award.
The bill would require TxDOT to recover the administrative costs from the issuance of these specialty licenses plates. Based on the information provided by TxDOT, it is assumed that the provisions of the bill could be implemented using existing resources.
Based on information provided by the Office of the Governor, it is assumed that some cost increases would be realized for purchasing awards for all honorees and there would be additional travel costs. However, it is assumed that duties and responsibilities associated with implementing the provisions of the bill could be covered using existing resources.
The bill would create or recreate a dedicated account in the General Revenue Fund, create or recreate a special or trust fund either with or outside of the Treasury, or create a dedicated revenue source. Therefore, the fund, account, or revenue dedication included in this bill would be subject to funds consolidation review by the current Legislature.
The bill would take effect immediately upon receiving a two-thirds majority vote in both houses; otherwise, the bill would take effect September 1, 2005.
| Source Agencies: | 300 Trusteed Programs Within the Office of the Governor, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 601 Department of Transportation
|
| LBB Staff: | JOB, SR, MW, BC
|