AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Currently there are 1.98 million female veterans living in the United States (U.S.), of whom 177,075 are Texas residents. When it comes to honoring our male and female veterans, a disparity exists in honoring our female veterans. H.B. 612 is an effort to close the gap.

 

Current Texas law provides for the issuance of specialty license plates for various armed forces and military personnel, including disabled veterans. However, concerns have been raised that Texas does not recognize the population of disabled female veterans with their own specialty license plate.

 

H.B. 612 amends the Transportation Code to require the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles to design a license plate to be available for distribution to female veterans of the U.S. armed forces who qualify for specialty license plates as a result of a service-connected disability. The bill requires the license plate to include the words "Woman Disabled Veteran" and "U.S. Armed Forces" at the bottom of the license plate.

 

H.B. 612 seeks to honor and recognize disabled veteran women who so bravely served our country with a specialty license plate.

 

H.B. 612 amends current law relating to license plates issued to female veterans with disabilities.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. Amends Section 504.202, Transportation Code, by adding Subsection (a-1) and amending Subsection (e), as follows:

 

(a-1) Requires the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles to design a license plate to be available for distribution to female veterans of the United States armed forces who qualify for a license plate under this section.

 

(e) Requires that license plates issued under this section, other than license plates issued under Subsection (h) (authorizing a person entitled to license plates under this section to elect to receive license plates issued under Chapter 502 under the same conditions for the issuance of license plates under this section), include:

 

(1) the letters "DV" on the plate if the plate is issued for a vehicle other than a motorcycle; and

 

(2) the words:

 

(A) "Disabled Veteran" and "U.S. Armed Forces" at the bottom of each license plate; or

 

(B) "Woman Disabled Veteran" and "U.S. Armed Forces" at the bottom of each license plate issued under Subsection (a-1).

 

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2015.