| 1 | 1 | | 81R4442 MTB-D |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | By: Bolton H.B. No. 1437 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | relating to toll collection by the Texas Department of |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | Transportation. |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Sections 228.054(a) and (b), Transportation |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | Code, are amended to read as follows: |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | (a) Except as provided by Subsection (e) and Section |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | 228.060, the operator of a vehicle, other than an authorized |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | emergency vehicle, as defined by Section 541.201, that is driven or |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | towed through a toll collection facility shall pay the proper |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | toll. The exemption from payment of a toll for an authorized |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | emergency vehicle applies regardless of whether the vehicle is: |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | (1) responding to an emergency; |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | (2) displaying a flashing light; or |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | (3) marked as an emergency vehicle. |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | (b) The operator of a vehicle who drives or tows a vehicle |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | through a toll collection facility and does not pay the proper toll |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | before the eighth day after driving or towing the vehicle through |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | the facility commits an offense. |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | SECTION 2. Section 228.057, Transportation Code, is amended |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | by adding Subsection (g) to read as follows: |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | (g) The department shall post at least one sign before the |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | last exit on a department toll road before a toll collection |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | facility for which a transponder is the only means of paying the |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | toll and before the penultimate exit before such a toll collection |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | facility. The signs must inform motor vehicle operators that the |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | operators are approaching a toll collection facility for which a |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | transponder is the only means of paying the toll. |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | SECTION 3. Subchapter B, Chapter 228, Transportation Code, |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | is amended by adding Section 228.060 to read as follows: |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | Sec. 228.060. ALTERNATIVE TOLLING METHOD. (a) As an |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | alternative to requiring payment of a toll at the time a vehicle is |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | driven or towed through a toll collection facility, the department |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | shall allow the registered owner of the vehicle to pay the toll |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | using the department's Internet website before the eighth day after |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | the date the vehicle is driven or towed through the facility. |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | (b) The registered owner of a vehicle may not use the |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | department's Internet website to pay a toll more than twice in any |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | three-month period. |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | (c) The department may impose an administrative fee not to |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | exceed $1 for processing a payment under this section. |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | SECTION 4. (a) The change in law made by this Act applies |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | only to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | Act. For the purposes of this section, an offense is committed |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | before the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | occurs before that date. |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | (b) An offense committed before the effective date of this |
|---|
| 53 | 53 | | Act is covered by the law in effect when the offense was committed, |
|---|
| 54 | 54 | | and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
|---|
| 55 | 55 | | SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
|---|