BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3815

By: Orr

Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) currently issues several specialty license plates related to military service. The bill author has informed the committee that veterans of the U.S. Army Rangers, an elite direct-action raid force of the U.S. Army, have expressed interest in creating an official specialty license plate commemorating their military service, and that such a plate would be welcomed by both active and veteran U.S. Army Rangers. H.B. 3815 seeks to require TxDMV to create a U.S. Army Ranger plate and a plate for the 75th Army Ranger Regiment with specified emblems.

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. 3815 amends the Transportation Code to require the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles to issue the following specialty license plates:

· for a person who is an active or former member of a United States Army Ranger unit or a graduate of the United States Army Ranger School, specialty license plates that include the following:

o the likeness of the Ranger tab authorized by the Department of the Army; and

o the words "U.S. Army Ranger"; and

· for a person who is an active or former member of the United States Army 75th Ranger Regiment, specialty license plates that include the following:

o a likeness of the 75th Ranger Regiment shoulder sleeve insignia above a likeness of the 75th Ranger Regiment designated unit insignia; and

o the words "75th Army Ranger Regiment" at the bottom of the license plates.

The bill includes those emblems among the emblems that may be included on request on a specialty license plate issued to veterans with disabilities.

H.B. 3815 establishes that, to the extent of any conflict, the bill prevails over another Act of the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, 2025, relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted codes.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2025.