87R17966 SRA-D
 
  By: Herrero H.B. No. 3957
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the creation of the open burn pit registry fund and the
  issuance of specialty license plates to honor members of the United
  States armed forces exposed to open burn pits.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 99, Health and Safety Code, as added by
  Chapter 153 (H.B. 306), Acts of the 86th Legislature, Regular
  Session, 2019, is amended by adding Section 99.008 to read as
  follows:
         Sec. 99.008.  OPEN BURN PIT REGISTRY FUND. (a)  The open
  burn pit registry fund is a special fund in the state treasury
  outside the general revenue fund. The fund is composed of:
               (1)  money transferred to the fund at the direction of
  the legislature;
               (2)  gifts and grants contributed to the fund;
               (3)  the earnings of the fund; and
               (4)  money deposited to the credit of the fund under
  Section 504.675, Transportation Code.
         (b)  Money in the fund may be appropriated only to the
  department.  The department may use the money only for the creation
  and maintenance of the open burn pit registry established under
  Section 99.003, except that the department may use the money for any
  other purpose of the department consistent with legislative
  appropriation of the money if the department finds that the
  registry is adequately funded and contributions to the fund exceed
  the amount necessary for the registry to be adequately funded.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter G, Chapter 504, Transportation Code,
  is amended by adding Section 504.675 to read as follows:
         Sec. 504.675.  VETERANS EXPOSED TO OPEN BURN PITS. (a)  The
  department shall issue specialty license plates to honor members of
  the United States armed forces who were exposed to open burn pits
  during their military service. The license plates must include:
               (1)  the words "Burn Pits 360 Veterans Organization";
  and
               (2)  a depiction of the Burn Pits 360 nonprofit
  organization logo.
         (b)  After deduction of the department's administrative
  costs, the remainder of the fee for issuance of the license plates
  shall be deposited to the credit of the open burn pit registry fund
  established under Section 99.008, Health and Safety Code.
         (c)  Section 504.702 does not apply to a specialty license
  plate issued under this section.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.