| 1 | 1 | | 84R11187 JTS-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Alonzo H.B. No. 4082 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to license plates for certain vehicles used to provide |
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| 8 | 8 | | passenger transportation services for compensation; creating a |
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| 9 | 9 | | criminal offense. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 504, Transportation Code, |
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| 12 | 12 | | is amended by adding Section 504.517 to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 504.517. REQUIRED LICENSE PLATES FOR RIDE-FOR-HIRE |
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| 14 | 14 | | MOTOR VEHICLE. (a) In this section, "ride-for-hire motor vehicle" |
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| 15 | 15 | | means a motor vehicle that: |
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| 16 | 16 | | (1) is designed to carry not more than eight |
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| 17 | 17 | | passengers; and |
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| 18 | 18 | | (2) is licensed or registered with a municipality to |
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| 19 | 19 | | provide passenger transportation services for compensation. |
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| 20 | 20 | | (b) The department shall issue specialty license plates for |
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| 21 | 21 | | ride-for-hire motor vehicles. License plates issued under this |
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| 22 | 22 | | section must include the words "taxi," "livery," "ride-for-hire |
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| 23 | 23 | | vehicle," or other municipal designation, as appropriate. |
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| 24 | 24 | | (c) A ride-for-hire motor vehicle providing passenger |
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| 25 | 25 | | transportation services shall display license plates issued under |
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| 26 | 26 | | this section. |
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| 27 | 27 | | SECTION 2. Subchapter L, Chapter 504, Transportation Code, |
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| 28 | 28 | | is amended by adding Section 504.949 to read as follows: |
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| 29 | 29 | | Sec. 504.949. RIDE-FOR-HIRE VEHICLES. A person commits an |
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| 30 | 30 | | offense if the person operates a vehicle in violation of Section |
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| 31 | 31 | | 504.517(c). An offense under this section is a misdemeanor |
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| 32 | 32 | | punishable by a fine of not more than $200. |
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| 33 | 33 | | SECTION 3. (a) The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles shall |
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| 34 | 34 | | make available the license plates described by Section 504.517, |
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| 35 | 35 | | Transportation Code, as added by this Act, not later than January 1, |
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| 36 | 36 | | 2016. |
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| 37 | 37 | | (b) Section 504.517, Transportation Code, as added by this |
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| 38 | 38 | | Act, applies only to the operation of a vehicle used to provide |
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| 39 | 39 | | passenger transportation services on or after March 1, 2016. |
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| 40 | 40 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 41 | 41 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 42 | 42 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 43 | 43 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 44 | 44 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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