By: Guillen, Farias (Senate Sponsor - Eltife) H.B. No. 1301
(In the Senate - Received from the House April 18, 2011;
April 20, 2011, read first time and referred to Committee on
Transportation and Homeland Security; May 19, 2011, reported
adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following
vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 19, 2011, sent to printer.)
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 1301 By: Watson
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to making a voluntary contribution to the Parks and
Wildlife Department when registering a motor vehicle or renewing a
motor vehicle registration.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 502, Transportation Code,
is amended by adding Sections 502.1747 and 502.1748 to read as
follows:
Sec. 502.1747. VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTION TO PARKS AND WILDLIFE
DEPARTMENT. (a) When a person registers or renews the
registration of a motor vehicle under this chapter, the person may
contribute $5 or more to the Parks and Wildlife Department.
(b) The department shall:
(1) include space on each motor vehicle registration
renewal notice, on the page that states the total fee for
registration renewal, that allows a person renewing a registration
to indicate the amount that the person is voluntarily contributing
to the state parks account;
(2) provide an opportunity to contribute to the state
parks account similar to the opportunity described by Subsection
(a) and in the manner described by Subdivision (1) in any
registration renewal system that succeeds the system in place on
September 1, 2011; and
(3) provide an opportunity for a person to contribute
to the state parks account during the registration renewal process
on the department's Internet website.
(c) If a person makes a contribution under this section and
does not pay the full amount of a registration fee, the county
assessor-collector may credit all or a portion of the contribution
to the person's registration fee.
(d) The county assessor-collector shall send any
contribution made under this section to the comptroller for deposit
to the credit of the state parks account under Section 11.035, Parks
and Wildlife Code. Money received by the Parks and Wildlife
Department under this section may be used only for the operation and
maintenance of state parks, historic sites, or natural areas under
the jurisdiction of the Parks and Wildlife Department.
(e) The department shall consult with the Parks and Wildlife
Department in performing the department's duties under this
section.
Sec. 502.1748. DISPOSITION OF CERTAIN VOLUNTARY
CONTRIBUTIONS. If a person makes a voluntary contribution under
Section 502.1746 or 502.1747 at the time the person registers or
renews the registration of a motor vehicle under this chapter but
the person does not clearly specify the entity to which the person
intends to contribute, the county assessor-collector shall divide
the contribution between the entities authorized to receive
contributions under those sections.
SECTION 2. Sections 502.1747 and 502.1748, Transportation
Code, as added by this Act, apply only to a motor vehicle
registration renewal notice issued for a registration that expires
on or after January 1, 2012.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2011.
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