80R15665 DWS-F

By: Miller H.B. No. 191

Substitute the following for H.B. No. 191:

By: Phillips C.S.H.B. No. 191

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to fees for issuance of specialty license plates to members and former members of the United States armed forces and their surviving spouses.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 504, Transportation Code, is amended by adding Section 504.3015 to read as follows:

Sec. 504.3015. FEES FOR MILITARY SPECIALTY LICENSE PLATES. (a) A person applying for a set of license plates under this subchapter shall pay the registration fee required under Chapter 502 and the applicable special plate fee required under this section, except that one set of license plates shall be issued under Section 504.308 or 504.315 without the payment of the registration fee.

(b) The fee for the issuance of one set of specialty license plates issued under Sections 504.315(a), (b), or (e) is $3. There is no additional fee for a specialty license plate issued under another provision of this subchapter.

(c) A surviving spouse applying for a set of license plates under Section 504.302 shall pay the fees required for the type of license plate for which the surviving spouse is eligible.

SECTION 2. Section 504.305(a), Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) The department shall issue [without charge] specialty license plates for:

(1) active members of the Texas National Guard or Texas State Guard;

(2) retired members of the Texas National Guard or Texas State Guard who have completed 20 or more years of satisfactory federal service; and

(3) members of a reserve component of the United States armed forces.

SECTION 3. Section 504.306, Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 504.306. PERSONS RETIRED FROM SERVICE IN MERCHANT MARINE OF THE UNITED STATES. [(a)] The department shall issue specialty license plates for persons retired from service in the merchant marine of the United States. The license plates must include the words "Merchant Marine." [A person may be issued only one set of license plates under this section.

[(b)The fee for issuance of the license plates is $10.]

SECTION 4. Section 504.309, Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 504.309. MILITARY ACADEMY LICENSE PLATES. The department shall issue [without charge] specialty license plates for persons who:

(1) are graduates of the United States Military Academy, the United States Naval Academy, or the United States Air Force Academy; and

(2) are current or former commissioned officers of the United States armed forces.

SECTION 5. Section 504.310, Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 504.310. WORLD WAR II VETERANS. The department shall issue [without charge] specialty license plates for persons who served in the United States or Allied armed forces during World War II. The license plates must include the words "WWII Veteran."

SECTION 6. Section 504.311, Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 504.311. KOREAN WAR VETERANS. The department shall issue [without charge] specialty license plates for persons who served in the United States armed forces after June 26, 1950, and before February 1, 1955. License plates issued under this section must include the words "Korea Veteran."

SECTION 7. Section 504.312(a), Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) The department shall issue [without charge] specialty license plates for persons who served in the United States armed forces during:

(1) the period beginning on February 28, 1961, and ending on May 7, 1975, in the case of a veteran who served in the Republic of Vietnam during that period; or

(2) the period beginning on August 5, 1964, and ending on May 7, 1975, in all other cases.

SECTION 8. Section 504.313, Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 504.313. DESERT SHIELD OR DESERT STORM VETERANS. The department shall issue [without charge] specialty license plates for persons who served in the United States armed forces after August 1, 1990, and before April 12, 1991. License plates issued under this section must include the words "Desert Storm."

SECTION 9. Section 504.3135, Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 504.3135. OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM. The department shall issue [without charge] specialty license plates for persons who served in the United States armed forces and participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom. License plates issued under this section must include the words "Operation Iraqi Freedom."

SECTION 10. Section 504.314, Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 504.314. ENDURING FREEDOM VETERANS. The department shall issue [without charge] specialty license plates for persons who served in the United States armed services and participated in Operation Enduring Freedom. The license plates must include the words "Enduring Freedom."

SECTION 11. Section 504.315, Transportation Code, is amended by adding Subsection (h) to read as follows:

(h) A vehicle registered under this section must be for the use of the applicant who qualifies under this section.

SECTION 12. Sections 504.303(b), 504.304(c), 504.307(c), 504.308(b), and 504.315(a) and (b), Transportation Code, are repealed.

SECTION 13. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.