BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center

H.B. 506

 

By: White (Eckhardt)

 

Transportation

 

5/11/2021

 

Engrossed

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

While the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) currently offers an abundance of different types of specialty license plates recognizing various cultural interests, it does not offer a license plate recognizing Polish Americans in Texas who wish to express their heritage. H.B. 506 seeks to remedy this situation by providing for the issuance of specialty license plates honoring Polish Americans in Texas.

 

H.B. 506 amends the Transportation Code to require TxDMV to issue specialty license plates to honor Polish Americans in Texas and to design the license plates in consultation with the Texas Historical Commission. The bill requires the amount of the fee for issuance of the license plates that remains after the deduction of TxDMV administrative costs to be deposited to the credit of an account in a trust fund created by the Comptroller of Public Accounts of the State of Texas outside the general revenue fund. The bill restricts the use of money deposited to the account to the preservation of Polish American history in Texas by the Texas Historical Commission.

 

H.B. 506 amends current law relating to the issuance of specialty license plates to honor Polish Americans in Texas.

 

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 504.675, as follows:

 

Sec. 504.675. POLISH AMERICANS IN TEXAS LICENSE PLATES. (a) Requires the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) to issue specialty license plates to honor Polish Americans in Texas. Requires TxDMV to design the license plates in consultation with the Texas Historical Commission (THC).

 

(b) Requires that the remainder of the fee for issuance of the license plates, after deduction of TxDMV's administrative costs, 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) (relating to requiring that the portion of a certain fee be paid to the credit of an account in a certain trust fund). Authorizes money deposited to that account to be used only by THC to preserve Polish American history in this state.

 

SECTION 2.� Effective date: September 1, 2021.