BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 1936

By: Bucy

Defense & Veterans' Affairs

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It has been noted that state law currently permits the issuance of specialty license plates for various groups of military service members and veterans, thus allowing these individuals to display custom license plates commemorating their service to the United States. C.S.H.B. 1936 seeks to expand this practice and provide for a new set of specialty license plates commemorating the service of active duty and former members of the U.S. armed forces who have earned Special Forces qualifications.

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. 1936 amends the Transportation Code to require the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles to issue specialty license plates for persons who serve or have served in the U.S. armed services and have earned Special Forces qualifications. The license plates must include the words "Army Special Forces" and a depiction of the U.S. Army Special Forces shoulder sleeve insignia with the Special Forces Tab.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2021.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 1936 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 does the following:

· clarifies that both current and former qualifying members of the U.S. armed forces are eligible for the specialty license plates; and

· makes the license plates available to any such person who has earned Special Forces qualifications, instead of having specifically received the Special Forces Tab.