By: Garcia S.B. No. 1502
(In the Senate - Filed March 12, 2015; March 23, 2015, read
first time and referred to Committee on Transportation;
April 23, 2015, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 2; April 23, 2015,
sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1502 By: Ellis
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to county regulation of the removal and storage in certain
counties of unlawfully stopped motor vehicles.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 545.306, Transportation Code, is amended
to read as follows:
Sec. 545.306. REGULATION OF TOWING COMPANIES IN CERTAIN
COUNTIES. (a) The commissioners court of a county with a
population of 3.3 million or more shall by order [ordinance]
provide for the licensing of or the granting of a permit to a person
to remove or store a vehicle authorized by Section 545.305 to be
removed in an unincorporated area of the county.
(b) The commissioners court of a county with a population of
3.3 million or more may by order provide for a person to remove or
store a vehicle that is authorized by Section 545.305 to be removed
and is located in the corporate boundaries of a municipality in the
county only if the county has entered into an interlocal agreement
with the municipality for that purpose.
(c) An order under Subsection (a) or (b) [The ordinance]
must include rules to ensure the protection of the public and the
safe and efficient operation of towing and storage services in the
county and may not regulate or restrict the use of lighting
equipment more than the extent allowed by state and federal law.
The sheriff shall determine the rules included in the order
[ordinance] with the review and consent of the commissioners court.
(d) For an order under Subsection (a), the [(b) The]
commissioners court shall set the fee for the license or permit in
an amount that reasonably offsets the costs of enforcing the order
[ordinance]. The commissioners court shall use each license or
permit fee to pay salaries and expenses of the sheriff's office for
conducting inspections to determine compliance with the order
[ordinance] and laws relating to dealers in scrap metal and
salvage.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
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