AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

In 1956, "In God We Trust" was signed into law by President Dwight D. Eisenhower and adopted as the official motto of the United States. In 2007, then-Senator Dan Patrick won unanimous support to place the motto at the front of the Texas Senate chamber.

 

C.S.H.B. 315 instructs the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles to create a specialty license plate with the words "In God We Trust" so that interested parties may display the United States motto on their license plates.

 

C.S.H.B. 315 amends current law relating to the issuances of "In God We Trust" specialty license plates.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter G, Chapter 504, Transportation Code, by adding Section 504.665, as follows:

 

Sec. 504.665. IN GOD WE TRUST LICENSE PLATES. (a) Requires the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) to issue specially designed license plates that include the words "In God We Trust."

 

(b) Requires the remainder of the fee for issuance of the license plates, after deduction of TxDMV administrative costs, to be deposited to the credit of the general revenue fund and authorizes it to be appropriated only to the Texas Veterans Commission.

 

SECTION 2. Effective date: January 1, 2016.