BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3356

By: Brown, Betty

Public Safety

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The AMBER alert system is a vital tool in the safe recovery of a missing child in Texas. 

H.B. 3356 creates an AMBER alert specialty license plate and makes it available through the Texas Department of Transportation.  The bill requires the remainder of the license plate fee after the deduction of administrative costs to be transferred to the division of emergency management in the governor's office to be used to fund the AMBER alert program, allowing it to be as efficient and effective as possible.

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. 3356 amends the Transportation Code to require the Texas Department of Transportation to design and issue specialty license plates to support the statewide America's Missing Broadcast Emergency Response (AMBER) alert system for abducted children. The bill requires the remainder of the fee for issuance of the license plates, after deduction of the department's administrative costs, to be deposited to the credit of the general revenue fund. The bill authorizes the funds to be appropriated only to the division of emergency management of the office of the governor to fund activities associated with the statewide AMBER alert system.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2009.