H.B. No. 3433
AN ACT
relating to the extended registration of a commercial fleet of
motor vehicles.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 502.001, Transportation Code, is amended
by adding Subdivision (1-a) to read as follows:
(1-a) "Commercial fleet" means a group of at least 25
nonapportioned motor vehicles owned by a corporation, limited or
general partnership, limited liability company, or other business
entity and used for the business purposes of that entity.
SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 502, Transportation Code,
is amended by adding Section 502.0023 to read as follows:
Sec. 502.0023. EXTENDED REGISTRATION OF COMMERCIAL FLEET
MOTOR VEHICLES. (a) Notwithstanding Section 502.158(c), the
department shall develop and implement a system of registration to
allow an owner of a commercial fleet to register the motor vehicles
in the commercial fleet for an extended registration period of not
less than one year or more than eight years. The owner may select
the number of years for registration under this section within that
range and register the commercial fleet for that period. Payment
for all registration fees for the entire registration period
selected is due at the time of registration.
(b) A system of extended registration under this section
must allow the owner of a commercial fleet to register:
(1) an entire commercial fleet in the county of the
owner's residence or principal place of business; or
(2) the motor vehicles in a commercial fleet that are
operated most regularly in the same county.
(c) In addition to the registration fees prescribed by
Subchapter D, an owner registering a commercial fleet under this
section shall pay:
(1) an annual commercial fleet registration fee of $10
per motor vehicle in the fleet; and
(2) except as provided by Subsection (e), a one-time
license plate manufacturing fee of $1.50 for each fleet motor
vehicle license plate.
(d) A license plate issued under this section:
(1) may, on request of the owner, include the name or
logo of the business entity that owns the vehicle;
(2) must include the expiration date of the
registration period; and
(3) does not require an annual registration insignia
to be valid.
(e) In addition to all other applicable registration fees,
an owner registering a commercial fleet under this section shall
pay a one-time license plate manufacturing fee of $8 for each set of
plates issued that includes on the legend the name or logo of the
business entity that owns the vehicle instead of the fee imposed by
Subsection (c)(2).
(f) If a motor vehicle registered under this section has a
gross weight in excess of 10,000 pounds, the department shall also
issue a registration card for the vehicle that is valid for the
selected registration period.
(g) The department shall adopt rules to implement this
section, including rules on suspension from the commercial fleet
program for failure to comply with this section or rules adopted
under this section.
(h) The department and the counties in their budgeting
processes shall consider any temporary increases and resulting
decreases in revenue that will result from the use of the process
provided under this section.
SECTION 3. Subsection (b), Section 501.0234,
Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows:
(b) This section does not apply to a motor vehicle:
(1) that has been declared a total loss by an insurance
company in the settlement or adjustment of a claim;
(2) for which the certificate of title has been
surrendered in exchange for:
(A) a salvage vehicle title issued under this
chapter;
(B) a nonrepairable vehicle title issued under
this chapter;
(C) a certificate of authority issued under
Subchapter D, Chapter 683; or
(D) an ownership document issued by another state
that is comparable to a document described by Paragraphs (A)-(C);
[or]
(3) with a gross weight in excess of 11,000 pounds; or
(4) purchased by a commercial fleet buyer who is a
full-service deputy under Section 502.114 and who utilizes the
dealer title application process developed to provide a method to
submit title transactions to the county in which the commercial
fleet buyer is a full-service deputy.
SECTION 4. Section 502.0022, Transportation Code, is
repealed.
SECTION 5. The Texas Department of Transportation shall
adopt the rules and establish the system required under Section
502.0023, Transportation Code, as added by this Act, not later than
January 1, 2010.
SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 3433 was passed by the House on May 8,
2009, by the following vote: Yeas 135, Nays 0, 1 present, not
voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
No. 3433 on May 29, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 141, Nays 0,
2 present, not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 3433 was passed by the Senate, with
amendments, on May 27, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays
0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: __________________
Date
__________________
Governor