BILL ANALYSIS
By: Carona
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Currently, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) uses operating funds to pay postage expenses. However, DPS has not been appropriated additional operating funds to cover increases in postage costs.
As proposed, S.B. 1084 authorizes DPS to sell and include advertising in any mailings in connection with driver's licenses to offset the increased postage expenses. This bill prohibits the inclusion of alcoholic beverage advertising in those mailings.
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 Section 521.006, Transportation Code, as follows:
Sec. 521.006. New heading: ADVERTISING IN DRIVER'S HANDBOOK AND DRIVER'S LICENSE MAILINGS. (a) Authorizes the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to sell advertising for inclusion in any mailing DPS makes in connection with a driver's license. Makes conforming changes.
(b) Requires DPS to deposit the proceeds from the advertising to the credit of the driver's license administration advertising account, rather than the driver's handbook advertising account. Provides that the driver's license advertising account is an account in the general revenue fund that is only to be appropriated for the purpose of administration in this chapter. Makes a conforming change.
(c) Prohibits DPS from including advertising for an alcoholic beverage or a product promoting alcoholic beverages in the driver's license mailing.
SECTION 2. Provides that this Act does not abolish the driver's handbook advertising account, but renames that account as the driver's license administration advertising account.
SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2007.
.EFFECTIVE DATE
Upon passage, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2007