BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1376

By: Eltife

Defense & Veterans' Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) is currently required to offer specialty license plates to current and former members of branches of the U.S. military. TxDMV is also required to design such plates for each branch of service and, for former members of the military, to include the words "Honorably Discharged." S.B. 1376 seeks to allow a military retiree with 20 or more years of satisfactory military service to have the word "Retired" placed on his or her military license plate, in addition to the appropriate military branch designation.

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. 1376 amends the Transportation Code to require the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles to include the word "Retired" for license plates issued to retired members of the U.S. military who have completed 20 or more years of satisfactory federal service. The bill establishes as satisfactory proof of eligibility a letter from the U.S. Department of Defense, the Department of the Army, or the Department of the Air Force stating that a retired member has 20 or more years of satisfactory federal service.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2013.