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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the issuance of specialty license plates to honor |
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active and former members of the United States armed forces exposed |
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to open burn pits. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 504, Transportation Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 504.331 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 504.331. VETERANS EXPOSED TO OPEN BURN PITS. (a) The |
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department shall issue specialty license plates for active and |
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former members of the United States armed forces who were exposed to |
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open burn pits during their military service. The license plates |
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must include: |
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(1) the words "Burn Pits 360 Veterans Organization"; |
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and |
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(2) a depiction of the Burn Pits 360 nonprofit |
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organization logo. |
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(b) The department shall send any fee for issuance of the |
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license plates made under this section to the comptroller for |
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deposit in the state treasury to the credit of the open burn pit |
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registry fund not later than the 14th day of each month. Before |
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sending the money to the fund, the department may deduct money equal |
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to the amount of reasonable expenses for administering this |
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section. |
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SECTION 2. Chapter 99, Health and Safety Code, as added by |
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Chapter 153 (H.B. 306), Acts of the 86th Legislature, Regular |
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Session, 2019, is amended by adding Section 99.008 to read as |
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follows: |
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Sec. 99.008. OPEN BURN PIT REGISTRY FUND. (a) The open |
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burn pit registry fund is a special fund in the state treasury |
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outside the general revenue fund. The fund is composed of: |
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(1) money transferred to the fund at the direction of |
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the legislature; |
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(2) gifts and grants contributed to the fund; |
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(3) the earnings of the fund; and |
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(4) money deposited to the credit of the fund under |
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Section 411.1742, Government Code. |
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(b) Money in the fund may be appropriated only to the |
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department. The department may use the money only for the purpose |
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of creating and maintaining the open burn pit registry established |
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under Section 99.003, except that the department may use the money |
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for any other purpose consistent with appropriation if the |
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department finds that contributions exceed the amount necessary for |
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adequately funding the open burn pit registry. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |