Specialty License Plate Revenue May Suffer

Monday, 06 June 2011

Sadly, BikeTexas may have lost much of its essential specialty license plate funding this legislative session. BikeTexas currently receives revenue from four specialty license plates, including the Share the Road Y’all Plate and the new Texas Trails plate, which it uses to fund its child bicycle safety education programs. This legislative session, the House of Representatives and the Senate used the money in an attempt to balance the state budget deficit of $23 billion.  

Though the Senate version of the appropriations bill gave all of the revenue to nonprofits, the House of Representatives prevailed. The House’s version of the appropriations bill withholds 50 percent of this revenue. Though there may be a chance to prevent this from occurring during the special session, this could mean BikeTexas will receive only half of its license plate revenue for the next two years.

For BikeTexas, this means dramatic cutbacks. Without this revenue, BikeTexas will have to severely cut back on its bicycle safety-related programs. Please consider donating to BikeTexas to help us survive this unexpected funding cut! Your help is needed now more than ever!