Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Texas House Bill HB2461 Compare Versions

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1	1	85R7037 JXC-F
2	2	By: Pickett H.B. No. 2461
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to vehicle registration.
8	8	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	9	SECTION 1. Section 91.905, Natural Resources Code, is
10	10	amended to read as follows:
11	11	Sec. 91.905. APPLICATION OF OTHER LAW. Section 212.153(e),
12	12	Local Government Code, and Sections 203.092 and [,] 224.008, [and
13	13	502.1981(c)(4),] Transportation Code, apply to saltwater pipeline
14	14	operators and saltwater pipeline facilities in the same manner as
15	15	they apply to utilities and utility facilities.
16	16	SECTION 2. Section 502.001(2), Transportation Code, is
17	17	amended to read as follows:
18	18	(2) "Apportioned license plate" means a license plate
19	19	issued in lieu of a truck, motor bus, [license plate] or combination
20	20	license plate to a motor carrier in this state who proportionally
21	21	registers a vehicle owned or leased by the carrier in one or more
22	22	other states.
23	23	SECTION 3. Section 502.0023, Transportation Code, is
24	24	amended by amending Subsections (c) and (e) and adding Subsection
25	25	(c-1) to read as follows:
26	26	(c) In addition to the registration fees prescribed by this
27	27	chapter, an owner registering a commercial fleet under this section
28	28	shall pay:
29	29	(1) a one-time [an annual commercial fleet
30	30	registration] fee of $10 per motor vehicle, semitrailer, or trailer
31	31	in the fleet; and
32	32	(2) except as provided by Subsection (e), a one-time
33	33	license plate manufacturing fee of $1.50 for each fleet motor
34	34	vehicle, semitrailer, or trailer license plate.
35	35	(c-1) A fee collected under Subsection (c) shall be
36	36	deposited to the credit of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles
37	37	fund.
38	38	(e) In addition to all other applicable registration fees,
39	39	an owner registering a commercial fleet under this section shall
40	40	pay a one-time license plate manufacturing fee of $8 for each set of
41	41	plates issued that includes on the legend the name or logo of the
42	42	business entity that owns the vehicle instead of the fee imposed by
43	43	Subsection (c)(2). A license plate manufacturing fee collected
44	44	under this section shall be deposited to the credit of the Texas
45	45	Department of Motor Vehicles fund.
46	46	SECTION 4. Section 502.040(b), Transportation Code, is
47	47	amended to read as follows:
48	48	(b) The application must be accompanied by personal
49	49	identification as determined by department rule and made in a
50	50	manner prescribed by the department:
51	51	(1) through the county assessor-collector of the
52	52	county in which the owner resides; or
53	53	(2) if the office of that assessor-collector is
54	54	closed, or may be closed for a protracted period of time, as defined
55	55	by department rule, through a [if the county in which the owner
56	56	resides has been declared by the governor as a disaster area,
57	57	through the county assessor-collector of a county that is one of the
58	58	closest unaffected counties to a county that asks for assistance
59	59	and:
60	60	[(A) continues to be declared by the governor as
61	61	a disaster area because the county has been rendered inoperable by
62	62	the disaster; and
63	63	[(B) is inoperable for a protracted period of
64	64	time; or
65	65	[(3) if the county assessor-collector's office in
66	66	which the owner resides is closed for a protracted period of time as
67	67	defined by the department, to the] county assessor-collector [of a
68	68	county that borders the county in which the owner resides] who is
69	69	willing [agrees] to accept the application.
70	70	SECTION 5. Section 502.057, Transportation Code, is amended
71	71	to read as follows:
72	72	Sec. 502.057. REGISTRATION RECEIPT. (a) The department
73	73	shall issue or require to be issued to the owner of a vehicle
74	74	registered under this chapter a registration receipt showing the
75	75	information required by rule.
76	76	(b) A receipt for the renewed registration of a vehicle
77	77	generated by an online registration system approved by the
78	78	department is proof of the vehicle's registration until the 31st
79	79	day after the date of renewal on the receipt.
80	80	SECTION 6. Section 502.060(b), Transportation Code, is
81	81	amended to read as follows:
82	82	(b) No fee is required under this section if:
83	83	(1) the replacement fee for a license plate has been
84	84	paid under Section 504.007; or
85	85	(2) the county assessor-collector determines that the
86	86	owner paid for a prior replacement registration insignia for the
87	87	same registration period that was mailed to the owner but not
88	88	received by the owner.
89	89	SECTION 7. Section 502.091(b), Transportation Code, is
90	90	amended to read as follows:
91	91	(b) The department may adopt and enforce rules to carry out
92	92	the International Registration Plan or other agreement under this
93	93	section. The rules may require an applicant to register under the
94	94	unified carrier registration system as defined by Section 643.001
95	95	before the applicant applies for registration under the
96	96	International Registration Plan.
97	97	SECTION 8. Sections 502.146(a) and (h), Transportation
98	98	Code, are amended to read as follows:
99	99	(a) The department shall issue distinguishing [specialty]
100	100	license plates to a vehicle described by Subsection (b) or (c). The
101	101	fee for the license plates is $5 and shall be deposited to the
102	102	credit of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles fund.
103	103	(h) A distinguishing [specialty] license plate may not be
104	104	issued or renewed under Subsection (a) to an owner of a vehicle
105	105	described by Subsection (b)(1) unless the vehicle's owner provides
106	106	a registration number issued by the comptroller under Section
107	107	151.1551, Tax Code, or the vehicle is owned by a farmers'
108	108	cooperative society incorporated under Chapter 51, Agriculture
109	109	Code, or a marketing association organized under Chapter 52,
110	110	Agriculture Code. The comptroller shall allow access to the online
111	111	system established under Section 151.1551(l), Tax Code, to verify a
112	112	registration number provided under this subsection.
113	113	SECTION 9. Section 502.198, Transportation Code, is amended
114	114	to read as follows:
115	115	Sec. 502.198. DISPOSITION OF FEES GENERALLY. (a) Except
116	116	as provided by Sections 502.058, 502.060, 502.1911, 502.192,
117	117	502.356, and 502.357 and Subchapter H, this section applies to all
118	118	fees collected by a county assessor-collector under this chapter.
119	119	(b) Each Tuesday [Monday], a county assessor-collector
120	120	shall credit to the county road and bridge fund an amount equal to
121	121	the net collections made during the preceding week until the amount
122	122	so credited for the calendar year equals the total of:
123	123	(1) $60,000; and
124	124	(2) $350 for each mile of county road maintained by the
125	125	county, according to the most recent information available from the
126	126	department, not to exceed 500 miles[; and
127	127	[(3) an additional amount of fees equal to the amount
128	128	calculated under Section 502.1981].
129	129	(c) After the credits to the county road and bridge fund
130	130	equal the total computed under Subsection (b), each Tuesday
131	131	[Monday] the county assessor-collector shall:
132	132	(1) credit to the county road and bridge fund an amount
133	133	equal to 50 percent of the net collections made during the preceding
134	134	week, until the amount so credited for the calendar year equals
135	135	$125,000; and
136	136	(2) send to the department an amount equal to 50
137	137	percent of those collections for deposit to the credit of the state
138	138	highway fund.
139	139	(d) After the credits to the county road and bridge fund
140	140	equal the total amounts computed under Subsections (b) and (c)(1),
141	141	each Tuesday [Monday] the county assessor-collector shall send to
142	142	the department all collections made during the preceding week for
143	143	deposit to the credit of the state highway fund.
144	144	SECTION 10. Section 502.1983(a), Transportation Code, is
145	145	amended to read as follows:
146	146	(a) A [Except as provided by Section 502.357, a] county
147	147	assessor-collector may:
148	148	(1) deposit the fees subject to Section 502.198 in an
149	149	interest-bearing account or certificate in the county depository;
150	150	and
151	151	(2) send the fees to the department not later than the
152	152	34th day after the date the fees are due under Section 502.198
153	153	[502.357].
154	154	SECTION 11. Section 502.433(a-1), Transportation Code, is
155	155	amended to read as follows:
156	156	(a-1) A commercial motor vehicle registration may not be
157	157	issued or renewed [registered] under this section unless the
158	158	vehicle's owner provides a registration number issued by the
159	159	comptroller under Section 151.1551, Tax Code. The comptroller
160	160	shall allow access to the online system established under Section
161	161	151.1551(l), Tax Code, to verify a registration number provided
162	162	under this subsection.
163	163	SECTION 12. Section 504.007, Transportation Code, is
164	164	amended by adding Subsection (g) to read as follows:
165	165	(g) No fee is required under this section if the county
166	166	assessor-collector determines that the owner paid for prior
167	167	replacement license plates for the same vehicle that were mailed to
168	168	the owner but not received by the owner.
169	169	SECTION 13. Section 504.202(b), Transportation Code, is
170	170	amended to read as follows:
171	171	(b) A veteran of the United States armed forces is entitled
172	172	to register, for the person's own use, motor vehicles under this
173	173	section if:
174	174	(1) the person has suffered, as a result of military
175	175	service:
176	176	(A) at least a 50 percent service-connected
177	177	disability; or
178	178	(B) a 40 percent service-connected disability
179	179	because of the amputation of a lower extremity;
180	180	(2) the person receives compensation from the United
181	181	States because of the disability; and
182	182	(3) the motor vehicle:
183	183	(A) is owned by the person; and
184	184	(B) has a gross vehicle weight of 18,000 pounds
185	185	or less or is a motor home.
186	186	SECTION 14. Section 520.006(a-1), Transportation Code, is
187	187	amended to read as follows:
188	188	(a-1) A county assessor-collector collecting fees on behalf
189	189	of a county assessor-collector whose office [that has been declared
190	190	as a disaster area or that] is closed or may be closed for a
191	191	protracted period of time as defined by the department for purposes
192	192	of Section 501.023 or 502.040 may retain the commission for fees
193	193	collected, but shall allocate the fees to the county [declared as a
194	194	disaster area or] that is closed or may be closed for a protracted
195	195	period of time.
196	196	SECTION 15. Section 623.144, Transportation Code, is
197	197	amended to read as follows:
198	198	Sec. 623.144. REGISTRATION OF VEHICLE. (a) A person may
199	199	not operate a vehicle permitted under this subchapter on a public
200	200	highway unless the vehicle is registered under Chapter 502 for the
201	201	maximum gross weight applicable to the vehicle under Section
202	202	621.101 or has distinguishing [specialty] license plates as
203	203	provided by Section 502.146 if applicable to the vehicle.
204	204	(b) The department may not issue distinguishing [specialty]
205	205	license plates to a vehicle described by Section 502.146(b)(3)
206	206	unless the applicant complies with the requirements of that
207	207	subsection.
208	208	SECTION 16. Sections 502.1585 and 502.1981, Transportation
209	209	Code, are repealed.
210	210	SECTION 17. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.