BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1568

By: Zaffirini

Transportation

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The 75th Texas Legislature provided for the issuance of "Animal Friendly" license plates in 1997, which allowed Texans to purchase a specialty license plate and support community-based spay and neuter initiatives through fees for the license plate. The bill sponsor has informed the committee that advocates of animal welfare and the animal friendly license plate option have requested a greater variety of license plate designs from which to choose than the single design that is currently available and that the Department of State Health Services, the agency responsible for administering the animal friendly account that receives funds from the issuance of those specialty license plates, does not appear to have the statutory authority to engage with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) to allow for a greater variety of design options. S.B. 1568 seeks to address this issue and further support spay and neuter initiatives in Texas by requiring TxDMV to issue other specialty license plates that support spay and neuter programs.

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. 1568 amends the Transportation Code to require the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) to design and issue specialty license plates including the words "Spay. Neuter. Adopt." in addition to TxDMV's existing requirement to design and issue specialty license plates including the words "Animal Friendly." The bill requires the remainder of the fee for issuance of the "Spay. Neuter. Adopt." license plates, after deduction of TxDMV's administrative costs, to be deposited to the credit of the animal friendly account in the general revenue fund.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2025.