BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center H.B. 2045
80R12200 MTB-F By: Phillips (Duell)
Transportation & Homeland Security
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Since 2002, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has issued specialty license plates relating to the Texas State Rifle Association (TSRA). In the 78th Legislature, language was added to statute to dedicate revenue remaining after the deduction of TxDOT's administrative costs to The Texas A&M University (TAMU) System to supplement scholarship programs supported by TSRA and to provide grants to 4-H shooting sports programs to promote safety education.
However, TSRA has had difficulty accessing the fund to collect monies from sold license plates since the inception of the plate. After deliberation between TSRA and the comptroller of public accounts, a single payment was made from the fund in 2005, with the entirety of the payment going toward TSRA's scholarship program for TAMU systems, rather than to both programs as intended by TSRA. Change to statutory law is necessary in order to accurately reflect the intentions of TSRA.
H.B. 2045 provides that 50 percent of the net revenue from the TSRA license plate supports scholarship programs for the TAMU system and that the other 50 percent support 4-H shooting sports programs. This bill provides that the funds to support 4-H shooting sports programs are to be forwarded to the Texas 4-H Foundation to better insure the intended use of funds.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 504.631(b), Transportation Code, as follows:
(b) Requires the remainder of the fee for the Texas State Rifle Association (association) specialty license plate, after deduction of the Texas Department of Transportation's administrative costs, to be deposited to the credit of an account in the general revenue fund that is authorized to be appropriated only to the Texas Cooperative Extension of The Texas A&M University System, 50 percent of which is to supplement existing and future scholarship programs supported by the association and requires 50 percent to support the 4-H Shooting Sports Program for youth. Deletes existing text relating to providing grants to the 4-H Club shooting sports programs to promote safety education.
SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2007.