BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1276

By: Moody

Defense & Veterans' Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Observers note that veterans often use toll roads to travel the state to receive needed services, including medical treatment, and that these veterans should be exempt from paying tolls. H.B. 1276 seeks to provide such economic relief by requiring toll entities to waive toll fees for a customer whose account relates to a vehicle registered with Purple Heart 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

H.B. 1276 amends the Transportation Code to replace the authorization for a toll project entity to establish a discount program for electronic toll collection customers that includes free or discounted use of the entity's toll project by a customer whose account relates to a vehicle registered with Purple Heart specialty license plates with a requirement that a toll project entity establish a waiver program for electronic toll collection customers that includes free use of the entity's toll project by a customer whose account relates to a vehicle registered with those license plates.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.