By: Herrero (Senate Sponsor - Hinojosa) H.B. No. 1315

(In the Senate - Received from the House April 5, 2023; April 12, 2023, read first time and referred to Committee on Transportation; May 1, 2023, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 1, 2023, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 1315 By: West

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. This Act may be cited as the Le Roy and Rosie Torres Act.

SECTION 2. Chapter 99, Health and Safety Code, 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 504.679, 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 3. Subchapter G, Chapter 504, Transportation Code, is amended by adding Section 504.679 to read as follows:

Sec. 504.679. 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 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.

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