| 1 | 1 | | 81R3421 MTB-D |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | By: Aycock H.B. No. 1561 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | relating to discount programs for certain veterans provided by toll |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | project entities. |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 371, Transportation Code, as added by |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | Chapters 103 (H.B. 570) and 258 (S.B. 11), Acts of the 80th |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, is reenacted, redesignated as |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | Chapter 372, Transportation Code, and amended to read as follows: |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | CHAPTER 372 [371]. PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO MORE THAN ONE TYPE OF |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | TOLL PROJECT |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | Sec. 372.001 [371.001]. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | (1) "Toll project" means a toll project described by |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | Section 201.001(b), regardless of whether the toll project: |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | (A) is a part of the state highway system; or |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | (B) is subject to the jurisdiction of the |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | department. |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | (2) "Toll project entity" means an entity authorized |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | by law to acquire, design, construct, finance, operate, and |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | maintain a toll project, including: |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | (A) the department under Chapter 227 or 228; |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | (B) a regional tollway authority under Chapter |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | 366; |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | (C) a regional mobility authority under Chapter |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | 370; or |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | (D) a county under Chapter 284. |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | SUBCHAPTER B. TOLL PROJECT OPERATION |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | Sec. 372.051 [371.051]. USE OF MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | OR LICENSE PLATE INFORMATION. (a) A toll project entity may not |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | use motor vehicle registration or other information derived from a |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | license plate on a vehicle using a toll project, including |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | information obtained by the use of automated enforcement technology |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | described by Section 228.058, for purposes other than those related |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | to: |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | (1) toll collection and toll collection enforcement; |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | and |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | (2) law enforcement purposes on request by a law |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | enforcement agency[, subject to Section 228.058(d)]. |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | (b) If a toll project entity enters into an agreement with |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | an entity in another state that involves the exchange of motor |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | vehicle registration or license plate information for toll |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | collection or toll collection enforcement purposes, the agreement |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | must provide that the information may not be used for purposes other |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | than those described in Subsection (a). |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | Sec. 372.052 [371.001]. VEHICLES USED BY NONPROFIT |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | DISASTER RELIEF ORGANIZATIONS. [(a) In this section: |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | [(1) "Toll project" means a toll project described by |
|---|
| 53 | 53 | | Section 201.001(b), regardless of whether the toll project is: |
|---|
| 54 | 54 | | [(A) a part of the state highway system; or |
|---|
| 55 | 55 | | [(B) subject to the jurisdiction of the |
|---|
| 56 | 56 | | department. |
|---|
| 57 | 57 | | [(2) "Toll project entity" means an entity authorized |
|---|
| 58 | 58 | | by law to acquire, design, construct, finance, operate, and |
|---|
| 59 | 59 | | maintain a toll project, including: |
|---|
| 60 | 60 | | [(A) the department under Chapter 227 or 228; |
|---|
| 61 | 61 | | [(B) a regional tollway authority under Chapter |
|---|
| 62 | 62 | | 366; |
|---|
| 63 | 63 | | [(C) a regional mobility authority under Chapter |
|---|
| 64 | 64 | | 370; or |
|---|
| 65 | 65 | | [(D) a county under Chapter 284. |
|---|
| 66 | 66 | | [(b)] A toll project entity may not require a vehicle |
|---|
| 67 | 67 | | registered under Section 502.203 to pay a toll for the use of a toll |
|---|
| 68 | 68 | | project. |
|---|
| 69 | 69 | | Sec. 372.053. DISABLED VETERAN DISCOUNT PROGRAM. (a) A |
|---|
| 70 | 70 | | toll project entity may establish a discount program for electronic |
|---|
| 71 | 71 | | toll collection customers. The program must include free or |
|---|
| 72 | 72 | | discounted use of the entity's toll project by an electronic toll |
|---|
| 73 | 73 | | collection customer whose account relates to a vehicle registered |
|---|
| 74 | 74 | | by a veteran of the United States armed forces who became totally |
|---|
| 75 | 75 | | disabled for purposes of employability according to the disability |
|---|
| 76 | 76 | | ratings of the Department of Veterans Affairs as a result of a |
|---|
| 77 | 77 | | service-related injury. |
|---|
| 78 | 78 | | (b) The legislature may appropriate funds from the general |
|---|
| 79 | 79 | | revenue fund to a toll project entity to defray the cost of |
|---|
| 80 | 80 | | providing free or discounted use of the entity's toll project under |
|---|
| 81 | 81 | | this section. |
|---|
| 82 | 82 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
|---|