BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1227

By: Flores

Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Under current law, applicants for military specialty license plates are required to pay the standard vehicle registration fee, and some types of plates also require an additional specialty plate fee. In certain circumstances, one set of plates may be issued without the registration fee. The bill sponsor has informed the committee that, as the law has been amended over time, the fee structure has resulted in the inconsistent application of fees and confusion regarding which fees apply to which plates. S.B. 1227 seeks to address this issue by removing the additional fee for certain military specialty license plates and clarifying certain statute language.

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

S.B. 1227 amends the Transportation Code to remove the $3 fee for the issuance of one set of military specialty license plates for Pearl Harbor survivors and for recipients of the Purple Heart. The bill clarifies that there is no additional fee for a military specialty license plate except as otherwise provided by statutory provisions relating to such plates.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2025.