By: Farias, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Davis) H.B. No. 3179
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 4, 2011;
May 5, 2011, read first time and referred to Committee on Veteran
Affairs and Military Installations; May 12, 2011, reported
favorably by the following vote: Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 12, 2011,
sent to printer.)
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to contributions to the fund for veterans' assistance.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 434.017(a), Government Code, as amended
by Chapters 840 (S.B. 1940) and 1385 (S.B. 1655), Acts of the 81st
Legislature, Regular Session, 2009, is reenacted and amended to
read as follows:
(a) The fund for veterans' assistance 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 transferred to the fund from proceeds of the
lottery game operated under Section 466.027 or transferred to the
fund under Section 466.408(b); and
(5) [(2)] money deposited to the credit of the fund
under Section 502.1746, Transportation Code.
SECTION 2. Section 502.1746, Transportation Code, is
amended by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsections (c), (d),
and (e) to read as follows:
(b) The county assessor-collector shall send any
contribution made under this section to the comptroller for deposit
in the state treasury to the credit of the fund for veterans'
assistance before the 31st day after the date the contribution is
made. A contribution made under this section may be used only for
the purposes of the fund for veterans' assistance.
(c) 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 fund for veterans' assistance;
(2) provide an opportunity to contribute to the fund
for veterans' assistance 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 fund for veterans' assistance during the registration
renewal process on the department's Internet website.
(d) 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.
(e) The department shall consult with the Texas Veterans
Commission in performing the department's duties under this
section.
SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act to Section
502.1746, Transportation Code, applies only to a motor vehicle
registration renewal notice issued for a registration that expires
on or after January 1, 2012.
SECTION 4. 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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