BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3139

By: Herrero

Transportation

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Currently, many disabled veterans receive frequent medical care from facilities operated by the U.S. 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 allows a toll project entity to establish a discount program for electronic toll collection customers who are veterans. The program must 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 helping them reduce the cost of traveling to receive medical care.

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. 3139 reenacts 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, redesignates it as Chapter 372, Transportation Code, and amends it to authorize a toll project entity to establish a discount program for electronic toll collection customers. 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 under provisions governing specialty license plates for veterans with disabilities, or recipients of the Purple Heart, or by a person who has received the Medal of Honor. The bill 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 these provisions. The bill makes conforming changes relating to the reenactment and redesignation described above.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2009.