BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 1460
85R96 AJZ-D	By: Hinojosa
	Transportation
	4/13/2017
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Childhood and adolescent cancer is the most common cause of disease-related death in Texas, with around 200 deaths per year. Each year, in Texas alone, nearly 1200 children and adolescents younger than 20 years old are diagnosed with cancer. The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) currently offers childhood cancer awareness license plates, of which $22 out of $30 go to the Texas General Land Office for grants to benefit the Snowdrop Foundation.

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S.B. 1460 would amend Chapter 504, Transportation Code, by adding Section 504.655 (Childhood Cancer Awareness Plates). TxDMV "shall issue specialty license plates to raise awareness of childhood cancer. TxDMV shall design the license plates in consultation with an organization that seeks to raise awareness of childhood cancer in this state."

After deduction of TxDMV's administrative costs, the remainder of the fee for insurance of the license plates shall be deposited to the credit of an account created by the Texas comptroller of public accounts in the manner provided by Section 504.6012(b). Money deposited into that account may be used by the attorney general "only to provide grants to benefit organizations operating in this state that raise awareness of, conduct research on, or provide services for persons diagnosed with childhood cancer."

As proposed, S.B. 1460 amends current law relating to the issuance of childhood cancer awareness license plates.

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 Subchapter G, Chapter 504, Transportation Code, by adding Section 504.655, as follows:

Sec. 504.655. CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS PLATES. (a) Requires the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) to issue specialty license plates to raise awareness of childhood cancer. Requires TxDMV to design the license plates in consultation with an organization that seeks to raise awareness of childhood cancer in this state.

(b) 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 created by the Texas comptroller of public accounts in the manner provided by Section 504.6012(b) (relating to the requirement that a portion of a fee payable that is designated for deposit to a dedicated account be paid instead to the credit of a certain account in a trust fund). Authorizes money deposited to that account to be used by the Texas attorney general only to provide grants to benefit organizations operating in this state that raise awareness of, conduct research on, or provide services for persons diagnosed with childhood cancer.

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2017. �