BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center H.B. 1260
80R581 MCK-D By: Martinez, “Mando” et al. (Hinojosa)
Veteran Affairs & Military Installations
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Military personnel are often provided very little time to put their personal affairs in order before deployment to a designated hostile zone.
H.B. 1260 exempts certain military personnel who are being deployed to serve in a hostile fire zone from certain state and local government fees in order to ease the burden created by this short preparation period. The bill also requires the adjutant general to identify fees that may be exempted, including but not limited to fees to obtain copies of birth and marriage certificates and to transfer property titles.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the adjutant general in SECTION 1 (Section 431.039, Government Code) of this bill.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 431, Government Code, by adding Section 431.039, as follows:
Sec. 431.039. EXEMPTION FROM FEES FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL BEING DEPLOYED. (a) Provides that a member of the National Guard on federal active duty, or a member of the armed forces of the United States on active duty, who is preparing to be deployed to serve in a hostile fire zone as designated by the United States secretary of defense is exempt from paying any state or local governmental fee the member incurs because of the deployment to arrange the member's personal affairs.
(b) Requires the adjutant general by rule to identify fees that qualify for the exemption, which must include fees for obtaining copies of birth or marriage certificates and transferring property titles, and to prescribe the manner in which a governmental entity is made aware of the right to an exemption after consultation with federal authorities.
SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2007.