BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center	C.S.S.B. 1371
85R21302 JXC-D	By: Men�ndez
	Transportation
	4/5/2017
	Committee Report (Substituted)

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

S.B. 1371 will honor our veterans who are recipients of the Commendation Medal, the Commendation Medal with Valor, and the Military Outstanding Service Medal. The Commendation Medal is awarded to recognize distinguished service over a sustained period of time. The Commendation Medal with Valor is different in that it is usually awarded when someone displays exemplary service when in contact with the enemy. Lastly, the Military Outstanding Service Medal is given to soldiers who record over three years in length and/or 5000 hours of service with a volunteer organization. S.B. 1371 seeks to award these selfless service members with specialty license plates. Qualifying veterans would receive one free set of license plates and be exempt from parking fees. (Original Author�s / Sponsor�s Statement of Intent)

 

C.S.S.B. 1371 amends current law relating to the issuance of specialty license plates to honor recipients of the Commendation Medal with Valor and Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal.

 

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 504.3015(a), Transportation Code, as follows:

 

(a) Requires a person applying for a set of license plates under this subchapter (Specialty License Plates for the Military) to pay certain fees, except that one set of license plates is required to be issued without the payment of the registration fee under Section 504.308 (Distinguished Flying Cross Medal Recipients); Section 504.315 (Military Specialty License Plates for Extraordinary Service), other than Subsections (c) and (q) of that section; and Section 504.319 (Defense Superior Service Medal Recipients), rather than to require a person applying for a set of license plates under this subchapter to pay certain fees, except that one set of license plates is required to be issued under Section 504.308, 504.315, or 504.319 without the payment of the registration fee.�

 

SECTION 2. Amends Section 504.315, Transportation Code, by adding Subsections (c) and (q), as follows:

 

(c) Requires the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) to issue specialty license plates for recipients of the Commendation Medal with Valor for each branch of the military and for joint service. Requires that license plates issued under this subsection include the appropriate Commendation Medal emblem and include the name of the medal at the bottom of each plate. Requires license plates issued under this subsection that are not personalized to also include the letter "V" as a prefix or suffix to the numerals on each plate.

 

(q) Requires TxDMV to issue specialty license plates for recipients of the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal (MOVSM). Requires that license plates issued under this subsection include the MOVSM emblem and include the words "Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal" at the bottom of each plate.

 

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2017.