BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 1130
86R4734 TSS-D	By: Hinojosa (Alvarado)
	Transportation
	5/12/2019
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

The first mainstream specialty license plate was created for America's bicentennial celebration in 1976, but their rise in popularity and numbers has spiked in the last 15 years. Specialty plates differ from vanity plates�which feature a personal message�and also from standard-issue plates. Most are designed to promote a specific cause or nonprofit and cost more than a regular license plate. The additional revenue goes to the state, with a designated portion set aside for the organization represented on the plate.

H.B. 1130 would create a Register to Vote specialty license plate.

The intent of H.B. 1130 is to bring awareness to voting and increase voter turnout. After deduction of the Department of Transportation's administrative costs, the remainder of the fee for issuance of the license plates would be deposited to the credit of an account created by the comptroller that can only be used by the Secretary of State for Project V.O.T.E. or a successor voter education program.

In 2015, specialty license plates brought in over $18 million dollars in additional revenue for the state. Over the last 20 years, they have yielded over $210 million dollars in additional revenue. Creating a Register to Vote license plate would produce increased revenue while also bringing added awareness to voting.

H.B. 1130 amends current law relating to the issuance of Register to Vote specialty 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 504.671, as follows:

Sec. 504.671. REGISTER TO VOTE LICENSE PLATES. (a) Requires the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) to issue specialty license plates that include the words "Register to Vote."

(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 comptroller of public accounts of the State of Texas in the manner provided by Section 504.6012(b). Authorizes money deposited to that account to be used only by the secretary of state for Project V.O.T.E. or a successor voter education program administered by the office of the secretary of state.

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2019.

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