BILL ANALYSIS
By: Miller
Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Currently, Texas issues specialty license plates for current or former members of the military, as well as military medal recipients. Yet, there is no conformity between the amounts charged for issuance or renewal among the many different types of plates. CSHB 191 would bracket the many types of military license plates into three categories, and make each category uniform in charges relating to the license plates.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter D, Transportation Code by adding Section 504.3015 to address the fees for all types of military specialty license plates. This section provides three payment structures for the specialty plates. Medal of Honor, Distinguished Flying Cross Medal, and Legion of Valor recipients pay no fee for the specialty plate and are eligible for one plate without the fee for general registration. This decreases the fee for additional plates. Former Prisoner of War, Pearl Harbor Survivors, and Purple Heart recipients pay a $3 plate fee for the first set of plates and the registration fee for any additional plates requested. This deletes the $15 additional plate fee. Combat veterans pay no specialty plate fee but are required to pay regular registration for each set of plates. This is the same fee that combat veterans currently pay. Members of the Armed Forces, Auxiliary Members, Texas National Guard, US Armed Forces Reserves, Retired Merchant Marines, Airborne Parachutists, and Military Academy graduates pay only the regular registration for each set of plates. The current fees for these types of plates are not consistent and range from $0 to $15.
SECTION 2. Amends Section 504.305(a), Transportation Code by deleting the language “without charge.” The provisions regarding fees for military specialty plates are addressed in Section 504.316.
SECTION 3. Amends Section 504.306, Transportation Code by deleting the one plate restriction and the $10 plate fee. Other similar military plates do not have the one plate restriction and it is these inconsistencies that make the administration of the system more difficult.
SECTION 4. Amends Section 504.309, Transportation Code by deleting the language “without charge.” The provisions regarding fees for military specialty plates are addressed in Section 504.316.
SECTION 5. Amends Section 504.310, Transportation Code by deleting the language “without charge.” The provisions regarding fees for military specialty plates are addressed in Section 504.316.
SECTION 6. Amends Section 504.311, Transportation Code by deleting the language “without charge.” The provisions regarding fees for military specialty plates are addressed in Section 504.316.
SECTION 7. Amends Section 504.312(a), Transportation Code by deleting the language “without charge.” The provisions regarding fees for military specialty plates are addressed in Section 504.316.
SECTION 8. Amends Section 504.313, Transportation Code by deleting the language “without charge.” The provisions regarding fees for military specialty plates are addressed in Section 504.316.
SECTION 9. Amends Section 504.3135, Transportation Code by deleting the language “without charge.” The provisions regarding fees for military specialty plates are addressed in Section 504.316.
SECTION 10. Amends Section 504.314, Transportation Code by deleting the language “without charge.” The provisions regarding fees for military specialty plates are addressed in Section 504.316.
SECTION 11. Amends Section 504.315, Transportation Code by adding subsection (h) to clarify that all military specialty plates issued under this subsection must be obtained for the personal use of the qualifying applicant.
SECTION 12. Repeals 504.303(b), 504.304(c), 504.307(c), 504.308(b), and 504.315(a) and (b) Transportation Code. These sections are repealed due the creation of a new Section 504.3015 to address all the fees for military specialty license plates. The fees are not increased in the new section.
SECTION 13. The Act takes effect September 1, 2007.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2007.
COMPARISON TO ORIGINAL
The original simply amends Section 504.303(b) of the Transportation Code to specify "former members of the armed forces" and adds a Section to the Code to allow the department to issue or renew specialty military license plates to an active member of the United State armed forces at no charge.
The substitute completely repeals Sections 504.303(b), 504.304(c), 504.307(c) and 504.308(b) of the Transportation Code.
The substitute adds Section 504.316 to address the fees for all types of military specialty license plates. This section provides three payment structures for the specialty plates. Medal of Honor, Distinguished Flying Cross Medal, and Legion of Valor recipients pay no fee for the specialty plate and are eligible for one plate without the fee for general registration. This decreases the fee for additional plates. Disabled veterans and former Prisoner of War, Pearl Harbor Survivors, and Purple Heart recipients pay a $3 plate fee for the first set of plates and the registration fee for any additional plates requested. This deletes the $15 additional plate fee. Disabled veterans are still only eligible for two disabled veterans specialty plates. Combat veterans pay no specialty plate fee but are required to pay regular registration for each set of plates. This is the same fee that combat veterans currently pay. Members of the Armed Forces, Auxiliary Members, Texas National Guard, US Armed Forces Reserves, Retired Merchant Marines, Airborne Parachutists, and Military Academy graduates pay only the regular registration for each set of plates. The current fees for these types of plates are not consistent and range from $0 to $15.
The substitute also makes conforming changes to the Transportation Code to complement the added section.