BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center                                                                                                     H.B. 3139

81R8887 MTB-D                                                                      By: Herrero, Guillen (Van de Putte)

                                                                                             Veteran Affairs & Military Installations

                                                                                                                                              5/4/2009

                                                                                                                                           Engrossed

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Currently, many disabled armed forces veterans receive frequent medical care from facilities operated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.  These facilities are often located a considerable distance from the veteran's residence.  As a result, veterans incur a significant financial burden in attempting to receive necessary medical care.

 

H.B. 3139 authorizes a toll project entity to establish a discount program for electronic toll collection customers who are veterans.  The bill requires the program to include free or discounted use of the entity's toll project by an electronic toll collection customer whose account relates to a vehicle registered with a disabled veteran license plate, a Purple Heart recipient license plate, or is registered by a person who has received the Medal of Honor.  The goal of this legislation is to honor veterans by assisting in the reduction of their cost of traveling to receive medical care.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1.  Amends Chapter 371, Transportation Code, as added by Chapters 103 (H.B. 570) and 258 (S.B. 11), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, by reenacting it, redesignating it as Chapter 372, Transportation Code, and amending it, as follows:

 

CHAPTER 372.  PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO MORE THAN ONE TYPE OF TOLL PROJECT  (Redesignates Chapter 371 as Chapter 372.)

 

SUBCHAPTER A.  GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

Sec. 372.001.  DEFINITIONS.  Redesignates Section 371.001 as Section 372.001.  Makes no further changes to this section.

 

SUBCHAPTER B.  TOLL PROJECT OPERATION

 

Sec. 372.051.  USE OF MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION OR LICENSE PLATE INFORMATION.  Redesignates Section 371.051 as Section 372.051.  (a)  Prohibits a toll project entity from using certain information derived from a license plate on a vehicle using a toll project for purposes other than those related to law enforcement purposes on request by a law enforcement agency, rather than a law enforcement agency subject to Section 228.058(d) (repealed).

 

(b)  Makes no changes to this subsection.

 

Sec. 372.052.  VEHICLES USED BY NONPROFIT DISASTER RELIEF ORGANIZATIONS.  Redesignates Section 371.052 as Section 372.052.  Deletes existing text that defines "toll project" and "toll project entity."  Makes a nonsubstantive change.

 

 

Sec. 372.053.  VETERAN DISCOUNT PROGRAM.  (a)  Authorizes a toll project entity to establish a discount program for electronic toll collection customers.  Requires that the program include free or discounted use of the entity's toll project by an electronic toll collection customer whose account relates to a vehicle registered under Section 504.202 (Veterans with Disabilities), under Section 504.315(g) (relating to requiring the Department of Public Safety to issue certain license plates), or by a person who has received the Medal of Honor.

 

(b)  Authorizes the legislature to appropriate funds from the general revenue fund to a toll project entity to defray the cost of providing free or discounted use of the entity's toll project under this section.

 

SECTION 2.  Effective date:  September 1, 2009.