By: Carona, et al.	S.B. No. 257

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	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.