89R7990 JRR-D     By: Schwertner S.B. No. 858       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to certain criminal offenses involving the attachment or   display of a wrong license plate or registration insignia;   increasing criminal penalties.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 504.944, Transportation Code, is amended   to read as follows:          Sec. 504.944.  OPERATION OF VEHICLE WITH WRONG LICENSE   PLATE.  (a) A person commits an offense if the person operates, or   as the owner permits another to operate, on a public highway a motor   vehicle that has attached to it a number plate or registration   insignia issued for a different vehicle.          (b)  An offense under this section is a misdemeanor   punishable by a fine not to exceed $200, except that the offense is   a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed $500 if it is shown   at the trial of the offense that, at the time of the offense, the   person knows that the license plate or registration insignia is   stolen or otherwise issued for a different motor vehicle.          SECTION 2.  Section 504.945, Transportation Code, is amended   by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (d-1) to read as   follows:          (b)  Except as provided by Subsections (d-1), (e), and (f),   an offense under Subsection (a) is a misdemeanor punishable by a   fine of not more than $200, unless it is shown at the trial of the   offense that the owner knowingly altered or made illegible the   letters, numbers, and other identification marks, in which case the   offense is a Class B misdemeanor.          (d-1)  An offense under Subsection (a)(1) is a misdemeanor   punishable by a fine not to exceed $500 if it is shown at the trial   of the offense that, at the time of the offense, the person knows   that the license plate is stolen or otherwise issued for a different   motor vehicle.          SECTION 3.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to   an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. An   offense committed before the effective date of this Act is governed   by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, and the   former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of   this section, an offense was committed before the effective date of   this Act if any element of the offense occurred before that date.          SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.