BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1755

By: Van de Putte

Defense & Veterans' Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties assert that certain specialty license plates for disabled veterans should be allowed to display certain emblems from certain military decoration license plates and that there should be a specialty license plate available for recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal. S.B. 1755 addresses matters relating to the issuance of certain specialty license plates.

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

S.B. 1755 amends the Transportation Code to require the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles to issue specialty license plates for recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal.  The bill requires such license plates to include the Distinguished Service Medal emblem and the words "Distinguished Service Medal" at the bottom of each plate and exempts such license plates from restrictions applicable only to specialty license plates authorized after January 1, 1999.

S.B. 1755 authorizes specialty license plates for veterans with disabilities issued to a person who is also entitled to a specialty license plate for a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross medal, a military specialty plate for extraordinary service, or a specialty license plate for a recipient of the Legion of Merit medal, at the request of the person, to include one emblem from the other license plates to which the person is entitled, except for license plates issued under provisions of law relating to a person entitled to receive  license plates issued to veterans with disabilities who elect to receive license plates issued under provisions relating to vehicle registration.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2011.