BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 5135
88R15147 MZM-D	By: Kacal (King)
	Transportation
	5/15/2023
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

K9s4KIDs provides trained K9s to schools and universities and was created in 2013 after the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook. The K9s4KIDs initiative provides K9s to schools to make them a safer place for students, faculty, staff, and visitors. K9s4KIDs was created to sustain an alternative, kinder, and gentler approach to keeping our schoolchildren safe. In addition to the safety of having a trained police dog on campus to protect the students, these four-legged officers and their handlers provide outreach by visiting with students at school assemblies and events and participating in crime safety prevention presentations. These fast-acting K9s also provide security at sporting events and school venues and have protected an estimated two million people from the threat of bombs and explosives. �������

H.B. 5135 seeks to recognize K9s4KIDs by requiring the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) to issue K9s4KIDs specialty license plates and design the license plates in consultation with K9s4KIDs. A portion of the funds collected for issuance of the specialty plates will be used in the funding of police dogs by schools. H.B. 5135 amends the Transportation Code to require TxDMV to issue K9s4KIDs specialty license plates and design the license plates in consultation with K9s4KIDs. The bill requires the remainder of the fee for issuance of the license plates, after deduction of TxDMV administrative costs, to be deposited to the credit of the general revenue fund to be used only by the Office of the Governor in making grants to nonprofit organizations for the purpose of funding the purchase of police dogs by a public or private primary or secondary school or by a public, private, or independent institution of higher education.

H.B. 5135 amends current law relating to the issuance of K9s4KIDs specialty license plates.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter G, Chapter 504, Transportation Code, by adding Section 504.6661, as follows:

Sec. 504.6661.� K9S4KIDS LICENSE PLATES. (a) Requires the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) to issue K9s4KIDs specialty license plates. Requires TxDMV to design the license plates in consultation with K9s4KIDs.

(b) Requires the remainder of the fee for issuance of the license plates, after deduction of TxDMV's administrative costs, to be deposited to the credit of the general revenue fund to be used only by the Office of the Governor in making grants to nonprofit organizations for the purpose of funding the purchase of police dogs by a public or private primary or secondary school or by an institution of higher education or private or independent institution of higher education.

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2023. �