BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 165

By: Van de Putte

Defense & Veterans' Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties contend that the rigorous standards of U.S. service academies breed excellence among those with the discipline and fortitude to persevere and earn their degree; however, a diploma is not the only achievement of those graduates because many cadets choose to accept a commission and enter into the military. The parties assert that current or former commissioned officers who graduated from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy or the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, like graduates of the other service academies, should be allowed to display their achievement through a specialized license plate. S.B. 165 seeks to extend the provision of specialty license plates to graduates of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.

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. 165 amends the Transportation Code to add a current or former commissioned officer of the U.S. military who is a graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy or the U.S. Coast Guard Academy to the list of persons for whom the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles is required to issue a specialty license plate for the military.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2013.