Bill Text: TX SB257 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating to the issuance of "Choose Life" license plates and the creation of the Choose Life account in the general revenue fund.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 98-4)
Status: (Passed) 2011-05-17 - Effective on 9/1/11 [SB257 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-SB257-Introduced.html
Bill Title: Relating to the issuance of "Choose Life" license plates and the creation of the Choose Life account in the general revenue fund.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 98-4)
Status: (Passed) 2011-05-17 - Effective on 9/1/11 [SB257 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-SB257-Introduced.html
82R1017 VOO-F | ||
By: Carona | S.B. No. 257 |
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relating to the issuance of "Choose Life" license plates and the | ||
creation of the Choose Life account in the general revenue fund. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter G, Chapter 504, Transportation Code, | ||
is amended by adding Section 504.662 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 504.662. CHOOSE LIFE LICENSE PLATES. (a) The | ||
department shall issue specially designed license plates that | ||
include the words "Choose Life." The department shall design the | ||
license plates in consultation with the attorney general. | ||
(b) After deduction of the department's administrative | ||
costs, the department shall deposit the remainder of the fee for | ||
issuance of license plates under this section in the state treasury | ||
to the credit of the Choose Life account established by Section | ||
402.036, Government Code. | ||
SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 402, Government Code, is | ||
amended by adding Sections 402.036 and 402.037 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 402.036. CHOOSE LIFE ACCOUNT. (a) The Choose Life | ||
account is a separate account in the general revenue fund. The | ||
account is composed of: | ||
(1) money deposited to the credit of the account under | ||
Section 504.662, Transportation Code; and | ||
(2) gifts, grants, donations, and legislative | ||
appropriations. | ||
(b) The attorney general administers the Choose Life | ||
account. The attorney general may spend money credited to the | ||
account only to: | ||
(1) make grants to an eligible organization; and | ||
(2) defray the cost of administering the account. | ||
(c) The attorney general may not discriminate against an | ||
eligible organization because it is a religious or nonreligious | ||
organization. | ||
(d) The attorney general may accept gifts, donations, and | ||
grants from any source for the benefit of the account. | ||
(e) The attorney general by rule shall establish: | ||
(1) guidelines for the expenditure of money credited | ||
to the Choose Life account; and | ||
(2) reporting and other mechanisms necessary to ensure | ||
that the money is spent in accordance with this section. | ||
(f) Money received by an eligible organization under this | ||
section may be spent only to provide for the material needs of | ||
pregnant women who are considering placing their children for | ||
adoption, including the provision of clothing, housing, prenatal | ||
care, food, utilities, and transportation, to provide for the needs | ||
of infants who are awaiting placement with adoptive parents, to | ||
provide training and advertising relating to adoption, and to | ||
provide pregnancy testing or pre-adoption or postadoption | ||
counseling, but may not be used to pay an administrative, legal, or | ||
capital expense. | ||
(g) In this section, "eligible organization" means an | ||
organization in this state that: | ||
(1) is exempt from federal income taxation under | ||
Section 501(a), Internal Revenue Code of 1986, by being listed as an | ||
exempt charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3) of that | ||
code; | ||
(2) provides counseling and material assistance to | ||
pregnant women who are considering placing their children for | ||
adoption; | ||
(3) does not charge for services provided; | ||
(4) does not provide abortions or abortion-related | ||
services or make referrals to abortion providers; | ||
(5) is not affiliated with an organization that | ||
provides abortions or abortion-related services or makes referrals | ||
to abortion providers; and | ||
(6) does not contract with an organization that | ||
provides abortions or abortion-related services or makes referrals | ||
to abortion providers. | ||
Sec. 402.037. CHOOSE LIFE ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (a) The | ||
attorney general shall appoint a seven-member Choose Life advisory | ||
committee. | ||
(b) The committee shall: | ||
(1) meet at least twice a year or as called by the | ||
attorney general; | ||
(2) assist the attorney general in developing rules | ||
under Section 402.036(e); and | ||
(3) review and make recommendations to the attorney | ||
general on applications submitted to the attorney general for | ||
grants funded with money credited to the Choose Life account. | ||
(c) Members of the committee serve without compensation and | ||
are not entitled to reimbursement for expenses. Each member serves | ||
a term of four years, with the terms of three or four members | ||
expiring on January 31 of each odd-numbered year. | ||
(d) Chapter 2110, Government Code, does not apply to the | ||
committee. | ||
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |