Texas 2011 - 82nd Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB257 Compare Versions

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1	1	By: Carona, et al. S.B. No. 257
2	2	(Phillips, Schwertner, et al.)
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the issuance of "Choose Life" license plates and the
8	8	creation of the Choose Life account in the general revenue fund.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Subchapter G, Chapter 504, Transportation Code,
11	11	is amended by adding Section 504.662 to read as follows:
12	12	Sec. 504.662. CHOOSE LIFE LICENSE PLATES. (a) The
13	13	department shall issue specially designed license plates that
14	14	include the words "Choose Life." The department shall design the
15	15	license plates in consultation with the attorney general.
16	16	(b) After deduction of the department's administrative
17	17	costs, the department shall deposit the remainder of the fee for
18	18	issuance of license plates under this section in the state treasury
19	19	to the credit of the Choose Life account established by Section
20	20	402.036, Government Code.
21	21	SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 402, Government Code, is
22	22	amended by adding Sections 402.036 and 402.037 to read as follows:
23	23	Sec. 402.036. CHOOSE LIFE ACCOUNT. (a) The Choose Life
24	24	account is a separate account in the general revenue fund. The
25	25	account is composed of:
26	26	(1) money deposited to the credit of the account under
27	27	Section 504.662, Transportation Code; and
28	28	(2) gifts, grants, donations, and legislative
29	29	appropriations.
30	30	(b) The attorney general administers the Choose Life
31	31	account. The attorney general may spend money credited to the
32	32	account only to:
33	33	(1) make grants to an eligible organization; and
34	34	(2) defray the cost of administering the account.
35	35	(c) The attorney general may not discriminate against an
36	36	eligible organization because it is a religious or nonreligious
37	37	organization.
38	38	(d) The attorney general may accept gifts, donations, and
39	39	grants from any source for the benefit of the account.
40	40	(e) The attorney general by rule shall establish:
41	41	(1) guidelines for the expenditure of money credited
42	42	to the Choose Life account; and
43	43	(2) reporting and other mechanisms necessary to ensure
44	44	that the money is spent in accordance with this section.
45	45	(f) Money received by an eligible organization under this
46	46	section may be spent only to provide for the material needs of
47	47	pregnant women who are considering placing their children for
48	48	adoption, including the provision of clothing, housing, prenatal
49	49	care, food, utilities, and transportation, to provide for the needs
50	50	of infants who are awaiting placement with adoptive parents, to
51	51	provide training and advertising relating to adoption, and to
52	52	provide pregnancy testing or pre-adoption or postadoption
53	53	counseling, but may not be used to pay an administrative, legal, or
54	54	capital expense.
55	55	(g) In this section, "eligible organization" means an
56	56	organization in this state that:
57	57	(1) is exempt from federal income taxation under
58	58	Section 501(a), Internal Revenue Code of 1986, by being listed as an
59	59	exempt charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3) of that
60	60	code;
61	61	(2) provides counseling and material assistance to
62	62	pregnant women who are considering placing their children for
63	63	adoption;
64	64	(3) does not charge for services provided;
65	65	(4) does not provide abortions or abortion-related
66	66	services or make referrals to abortion providers;
67	67	(5) is not affiliated with an organization that
68	68	provides abortions or abortion-related services or makes referrals
69	69	to abortion providers; and
70	70	(6) does not contract with an organization that
71	71	provides abortions or abortion-related services or makes referrals
72	72	to abortion providers.
73	73	Sec. 402.037. CHOOSE LIFE ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (a) The
74	74	attorney general shall appoint a seven-member Choose Life advisory
75	75	committee.
76	76	(b) The committee shall:
77	77	(1) meet at least twice a year or as called by the
78	78	attorney general;
79	79	(2) assist the attorney general in developing rules
80	80	under Section 402.036(e); and
81	81	(3) review and make recommendations to the attorney
82	82	general on applications submitted to the attorney general for
83	83	grants funded with money credited to the Choose Life account.
84	84	(c) Members of the committee serve without compensation and
85	85	are not entitled to reimbursement for expenses. Each member serves
86	86	a term of four years, with the terms of three or four members
87	87	expiring on January 31 of each odd-numbered year.
88	88	(d) Chapter 2110, Government Code, does not apply to the
89	89	committee.
90	90	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.