BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center	H.B. 2271
86R11869 SCL-D	By: Lang et al. (Kolkhorst)
	State Affairs
	5/16/2019
	Engrossed

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

The "Choose Life" license plate bill was passed in the 82nd Legislative Session (S.B. 257).  This allowed for a Texas Choose Life specialty license plate for $30 a year, $22 of which goes to the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) to be distributed to qualified organizations that provide counseling and material assistance to pregnant women considering placing their unborn children for adoption, including pregnancy resource centers, maternity homes, and adoption agencies. The remaining $8 covers state and county administrative costs.

 

Currently, the statute does not authorize OAG to advertise the grants available to qualified organizations. H.B. 2271 would allow OAG to use no more than two percent of the previous year's revenue for the purpose of advertising the availability of funds to qualified organizations.

 

H.B. 2271 amends current law relating to the authority of the attorney general to advertise Choose Life account grants.

 

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 402.036, Government Code, by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-1), as follows:

 

(b) Provides that the Texas attorney general (attorney general) administers the Choose Life account. Authorizes the attorney general to spend money credited to the account only to:

 

(1) make grants to an eligible organization; and

 

(2) defray the cost of administering the account, including the cost of advertising authorized by Subsection (b-1), rather than defray the cost of administering the account.

 

(b-1) Authorizes the attorney general to advertise that fees paid for the issuance of a license plate in accordance with Section 504.662 (Choose Life License Plates), Transportation Code, may be used to fund the grants described by Subsection (b)(1), provided that the money spent under this subsection does not exceed two percent of the amount of gross receipts deposited to the Choose Life account during the preceding state fiscal year.

 

SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2019.