Honorable Robert Nichols, Chair, Senate Committee on Transportation
FROM:
John McGeady, Assistant Director Sarah Keyton, Assistant Director Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB1091 by Nichols (Relating to vehicles eligible for veteran toll discount programs.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend Transportation Code §372.053, relating to veteran toll discount programs, to limit an electronic toll collection customer's free or discounted use of a toll project to one vehicle displaying a qualifying military veterans specialty license plate or Disabled Veteran specialty license plate. The bill would take effect immediately upon receiving a vote of two-thirds of all members elected to each house or otherwise on September 1, 2019.
The current provisions of §372.053 authorize a toll project entity to offer free or discounted use of a toll project for any toll project customer operating a vehicle displaying a qualified veterans specialty license plate. Persons eligible to apply for these military specialty plates are authorized to register more than one vehicle with a set of the applicable specialty plates and, therefore, may own and operate more than one vehicle that would be eligible for a veteran toll discount. The bill would amend §372.053 to specify that the discount program is authorized for an electronic toll collection customer operating, as designated by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), one vehicle displaying the qualifying specialty license plate for which the owner is authorized to register without payment of the regular registration fees under Transportation Code §504.202(a) or (c) [Disabled Veteran specialty plate] or §504.3015 (a)(2) [Medal of Honor, Purple Heart, and certain "Legion of Valor" specialty plates].
Analysis provided by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) indicates that implementation of the bill would reduce the number of vehicles qualifying for a veteran toll discount, which would result in a reduction the department's costs of reimbursing the Central Texas Turnpike System for waived tolls under TxDOT's current veteran discount program. Based on the information and analysis provided by TxDOT and DMV, it is assumed the provisions of the bill would not result in a significant fiscal impact to the State.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
601 Department of Transportation, 608 Department of Motor Vehicles