BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 830

By: Larson

Transportation

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

As an iconic shrine of Texas liberty, the Alamo attracts people from around the world to visit the structure and experience its story. Interested parties note that both the preservation of the shrine and the educational programs that help tell its story are costly and therefore contend that a new revenue source is needed to provide for educational programs and to improve visitors' experiences at the Alamo. C.S.H.B. 830 seeks to provide this additional revenue through the issuance of specialty license plates.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

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

C.S.H.B. 830 amends the Transportation Code to require the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) to issue specialty license plates that include the image of the Alamo and the word "Remember" at the bottom of each plate. The bill requires the remainder of the fee for issuance of the license plates, after deduction of TxDMV's administrative costs, to be deposited to the credit of an account in a trust fund outside the general revenue fund created by the comptroller of public accounts. The bill requires the General Land Office to use 75 percent of the money deposited to the account for the preservation of the Alamo and the remaining 25 percent of the money to enhance the Alamo visitor experience or to fund education programs about the Alamo.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2015.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 830 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and formatted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.