BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 751

By: Dean

Transportation

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The Coast Guard Lifesaving Medal is a decorated medal that can be awarded to anyone, not just to members of the Coast Guard or other branches of the military. While the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles offers specialty license plates to recipients of military decorated medals, recipients of the Coast Guard Lifesaving Medal are not currently offered that choice. H.B. 751 seeks to address this issue by providing for the issuance of specialty license plates for recipients of the Coast Guard Lifesaving Medal.

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. 751 amends the Transportation Code to require the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles to issue specialty license plates for recipients of the Coast Guard Gold Lifesaving Medal and the Coast Guard Silver Lifesaving Medal. The plates must include the emblem of the medal and the name of the medal at the bottom of each plate, as applicable.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023.