BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2496

By: Buckley

Transportation

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Texas is home to many retired volunteer firefighters and retired fire protection personnel who have honorably served their communities. While the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles currently offers an abundance of different types of specialty license plates recognizing various professions, including certified volunteer firefighters and fire protection personnel, it does not issue these plates specifically recognizing retired volunteer firefighters or fire protection personnel. H.B. 2496 seeks to honor these individuals for their selfless service to their communities by providing for the issuance of specialty license plates for them.

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

H.B. 2496 amends the Transportation Code to require the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) to issue specialty license plates for appropriately certified retired volunteer firefighters or retired fire protection personnel. The bill requires the remainder of the fee for issuance of the license plates for current or retired volunteer firefighters and fire protection personnel, after deduction of TxDMV administrative costs, to be deposited to the credit of an account created by the comptroller of public accounts in a trust fund outside the general revenue fund. The bill restricts the use of money deposited to that account to the Texas Commission on Fire Protection to make grants to an organization of professional firefighters located in Texas that provides emergency relief and scholarship funds to professional firefighters and their dependents.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2021.