AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
The purposes of the Fund for Veterans' Assistance (fund) is to provide grants to local government and nonprofit organizations to enhance or improve veterans' assistance programs that address the needs of veterans and their families.
The 81st Legislature, Regular Session, 2009, passed S.B. 1940. One of the provisions of the bill approved voluntary contributions to the fund from donations made by an individual on his or her vehicle registration form.
The bill would ensure that the contributions can only be used for grants from the fund. It mandates that the notice of the ability to contribute to the fund is on the same page as the individual's total registration fee, and that a person who registered their vehicle online has the ability to contribute using the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) website. The bill requires that TxDMV consult with the Texas Veterans Commission in creating this process.
S.B. 1635 seeks to clarify the legislative intent of S.B. 1940 from the 81st Legislature regarding the ability of individuals to voluntarily contribute to the fund via their vehicle registration form.
As proposed, S.B. 1635 amends current law relating to contributions to the fund for veterans' assistance.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Reenacts Section 434.017(a), Government Code, as amended by Chapters 840 (S.B. 1940) and 1385 (H.B. 1655), Acts of the 81st Legislature, Regular Session, 2009, and amends it as follows:
(a) Provides that the fund for veterans' assistance (fund) is a special fund in the state treasury outside the general revenue fund. Provides that the fund is composed of funds from certain revenue sources, including money deposited to the credit of the fund under Section 466.408(b), Transportation code. Makes nonsubstantive changes.
SECTION 2. Amends Section 502.1746, Transportation Code, by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsections (c) and (d), as follows:
(b) Authorizes a contribution made under this section to be used only for the purposes of the fund.
(c) Requires the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) to include space in each motor vehicle registration renewal notice, on the page that states the total fee for registration renewal, for a person renewing a registration to state the amount the person is voluntarily contributing to the fund; and provide a method for making a contribution under this section to owners applying for renewal of the registration of a motor vehicle using TxDMV's website.
(d) Requires TxDMV to consult with the Texas Veterans Commission in performing TxDMV's duties under Subsection (c).
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2011.