BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 1251
85R11854 AAF-D	By: West
	Transportation
	3/24/2017
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

S.B. 1251 creates a trust fund that would be collected by the Texas comptroller of public accounts and administered by the Texas Department of Housing & Community Affairs (TDHCA). The money in the fund would be used to provide grants to counties and municipalities to combat homelessness.

S.B. 1251 allows a person who is registering or renewing a motor vehicle the option to voluntarily donate to the Ending Homelessness fund.

As proposed, S.B. 1251 amends current law relating to making a voluntary contribution to the Ending Homelessness fund when registering a motor vehicle or renewing a motor vehicle registration.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs in SECTION 1 (Section 512.414, Transportation Code) of this bill.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter H, Chapter 502, Transportation Code, by adding Section 502.414, as follows:

Sec. 502.414. VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTION TO ENDING HOMELESSNESS FUND. (a) Authorizes a person, when the person registers or renews the registration of a motor vehicle under this chapter (Registration of Vehicles), to contribute any amount to the Ending Homelessness fund under Subsection (f).

(b) Requires the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) to provide, in a conspicuous manner, an opportunity to contribute to the Ending Homelessness fund in any registration renewal system used by TxDMV.

(c) Authorizes the county assessor-collector, if a person makes a contribution and does not pay the full amount of a registration fee, to credit all or a portion of the contribution to the person's registration fee.

(d) Requires the county assessor-collector to send any contribution made under this section to the Texas comptroller of public accounts (comptroller) for deposit to the Ending Homelessness fund (fund) before the 31st day after the date the contribution is made.

(e) Requires TxDMV to consult with the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) in performing TxDMV's duties.

(f) Provides that the fund is created as a trust fund outside the state treasury to be held by the comptroller and administered by TDHCA as trustee. Provides that the fund is composed of money deposited to the credit of the fund. Requires that money in the fund be used to provide grants to counties and municipalities to combat homelessness.

(g) Requires TDHCA to adopt rules governing application for grants from the fund and the issuance of those grants.

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2017.