BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 408

By: Cortez

Defense & Veterans' Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It has been noted that there are currently no specialty license plates available specifically for veterans who are recipients of the Army of Occupation Medal for service in countries occupied after World War II. H.B. 408 seeks to authorize the issuance of such license plates and to require one set to be issued to an eligible person without payment of a registration fee.

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. 408 amends the Transportation Code to require the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles to issue specialty license plates for recipients of the Army of Occupation Medal and to establish the required contents of those license plates. The bill includes these specialty license plates among those whose emblems may be included on request on certain specialty license plates issued to veterans with disabilities, if the registrant is entitled to both types of specialty plate, and requires one set of the license plates to be issued without the payment of the registration fee.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019.