BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2767

By: Anderson

Transportation

Committee Report (Amended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

In performing their duties, justices of the peace have experienced difficulties in gaining vehicular access to nonpublic areas due to a lack of outward indication that a vehicle belongs to a justice of the peace.

H.B. 2767 creates specialty license plates for justices of the peace.

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

H.B. 2767 amends the Transportation Code to require the Texas Department of Transportation to issue, without charge, specialty license plates for current justices of the peace of Texas.  The bill requires the license plates to bear the words "Justice of the Peace" and authorizes a person to be issued three sets of license plates under the bill's provisions.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2009.

EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS

Committee Amendment No. 1

H.B. 2767 is amended to require the Texas Department of Transportation to issue specialty license plates for elected or appointed municipal judges and justices of the peace for use during their term of office, rather than to issue without charge specialty license plates for current justices of the peace of Texas.  The bill is amended to require the license plates to include a depiction of the scales of justice and the words "Municipal Judge" or "Justice of the Peace," rather than requiring the plates to bear the words "Justice of the Peace."