BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 148

By: White

Transportation

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It has been noted that Texans of Polish ancestry make up one of the largest ethnic groups in the state and that Polish Americans have played a major role in shaping this state's culture, traditions, arts, and history. There have been calls to honor this group of Texans with specialty license plates and to use the license plate fees for the purpose of preserving Polish American history in Texas. H.B. 148 seeks to authorize the issuance of these license plates and to provide for such use of the fees after deductions for administrative costs.

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. 148 amends the Transportation Code to require the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) to issue specialty license plates honoring Polish Americans in Texas. The bill requires TxDMV to design the license plates in consultation with the Texas Historical Commission. The bill requires the amount of the fee for issuance of the license plates that remains after the deduction of TxDMV administrative costs to be deposited to the credit of an account in a trust fund created by the comptroller of public accounts outside the general revenue fund. The bill restricts the use of money deposited to that account to the preservation of Polish American history in Texas by the commission.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019.