| 1 | 1 | | H.B. No. 1778 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | AN ACT |
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| 5 | 5 | | relating to the issuance of specialty license plates to certain |
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| 6 | 6 | | professional sports teams. |
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| 7 | 7 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 8 | 8 | | SECTION 1. Section 504.614(a), Transportation Code, is |
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| 9 | 9 | | amended to read as follows: |
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| 10 | 10 | | (a) The department may issue specialty license plates that |
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| 11 | 11 | | include the name and insignia of a professional sports team located |
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| 12 | 12 | | in this state. The department shall design the license plates in |
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| 13 | 13 | | consultation with the professional sports team and may enter a |
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| 14 | 14 | | trademark license with the professional sports team or its league |
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| 15 | 15 | | to implement this section. A license plate may be issued under this |
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| 16 | 16 | | section only for a professional sports team that: |
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| 17 | 17 | | (1) certifies to the department that the requirements |
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| 18 | 18 | | of Section 504.702 are met; and |
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| 19 | 19 | | (2) plays its home games in a facility: |
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| 20 | 20 | | (A) constructed or operated, in whole or in part, |
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| 21 | 21 | | with public funds; or |
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| 22 | 22 | | (B) owned, in whole or in part, by a public |
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| 23 | 23 | | entity. |
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| 24 | 24 | | SECTION 2. Section 504.614(c)(2), Transportation Code, is |
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| 25 | 25 | | amended to read as follows: |
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| 26 | 26 | | (2) "Professional sports team" means a sports team |
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| 27 | 27 | | that is a member or an affiliate of a member of the National |
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| 28 | 28 | | Football League, National Basketball Association, [or] National |
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| 29 | 29 | | Hockey League, Major League Soccer, or a major league baseball |
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| 30 | 30 | | team. |
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| 31 | 31 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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| 32 | 32 | | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 33 | 33 | | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 34 | 34 | | I certify that H.B. No. 1778 was passed by the House on May 6, |
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| 35 | 35 | | 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 113, Nays 21, 2 present, not |
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| 36 | 36 | | voting. |
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| 37 | 37 | | ______________________________ |
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| 38 | 38 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 39 | 39 | | I certify that H.B. No. 1778 was passed by the Senate on May |
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| 40 | 40 | | 19, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
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| 41 | 41 | | ______________________________ |
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| 42 | 42 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 43 | 43 | | APPROVED: _____________________ |
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| 44 | 44 | | Date |
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| 45 | 45 | | _____________________ |
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| 46 | 46 | | Governor |
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