BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1347

By: González, Mary

Transportation

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

A decade ago, the Texas Legislature created the El Paso Mission Valley specialty license plate as a mechanism for raising funds for the preservation and rehabilitation of the Socorro Mission. Interested parties assert that, while the El Paso Mission Trail encompasses the historic Socorro, Ysleta, and San Elizario Missions, current law restricts the Texas Historical Commission awarding of funds raised through the sale of El Paso Mission Valley specialty license plates to grants exclusively for the preservation and rehabilitation of the Socorro Mission.

H.B. 1347 seeks to alleviate this problem by providing for a distribution of fee revenue from the sale of El Paso Mission Valley license plates for the benefit of each of the various missions on the El Paso Mission Trail.

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. 1347 amends the Transportation Code to expand the purposes for which the Texas Historical Commission is authorized to use money in the El Paso Mission Restoration account to include making grants for the preservation and rehabilitation of the San Elizario and Ysleta Missions, in addition to the Socorro Mission.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2013.