BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 3221

By: Krause

Transportation

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Concerns have been raised regarding the inability of motor vehicle dealers in Texas to obtain certain specialty license plates for vehicles owned and operated by the dealership when selecting dealer plates or personalized prestige dealer plates. It has been noted that certain state officials are also unable to receive these specialty license plates when issued license plates by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. C.S.H.B. 3221 seeks to address these concerns by providing for the issuance of certain specialty license plates to the applicable entities and individuals.

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

C.S.H.B. 3221 amends the Transportation Code to require the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) to issue specialty metal dealer's license plates for use by a dealer as an alternative to registering the vehicle and personalized prestige dealer's license plates. The bill caps the number of dealer specialty license plate designs issued by TxDMV at three and requires the plates to include the word "Dealer" at the bottom of each plate. The bill sets the fee for issuance of the plates at $30 and subjects the personalized prestige dealer's plates to an annual fee of $40. The bill authorizes TxDMV to issue the dealer specialty license plates with background colors other than white.

C.S.H.B. 3221 authorizes a dealer to apply for, receive, and attach the dealer specialty license plate designs issued by TxDMV to certain vehicles instead of registering the vehicle. The bill includes such a dealer specialty plate design among those that may be issued by TxDMV as personalized prestige dealer's license plates. The bill includes specialty license plates issued by a private vendor to certain vehicles among those that may be issued by TxDMV as specialty license plates under statutory provisions relating to license plates for state officials.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 3221 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

The substitute includes an authorization for TxDMV to issue specialty metal dealer's license plates and personalized prestige dealer's plates. The substitute includes a cap on the number of specialty license plate designs issued by TxDMV and sets the fee for issuance of the plates. The substitute includes certain requirements relating to the design of the plates.

The substitute does not include a requirement for personalized prestige dealer plates to include three specialty plate designs, as designated by the private vendor.