| 1 | 1 | | 85R578 AAF-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Gonzales of Williamson H.B. No. 276 |
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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 the number of license plates to be issued for and |
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| 8 | 8 | | displayed on certain motor vehicles. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 504, Transportation Code, |
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| 11 | 11 | | is amended by adding Section 504.011 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 504.011. ISSUANCE AND DISPLAY OF LICENSE PLATE FOR |
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| 13 | 13 | | PASSENGER CAR OR LIGHT TRUCK. (a) Notwithstanding anything in this |
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| 14 | 14 | | code to the contrary, the department shall issue only one license |
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| 15 | 15 | | plate for attachment at the rear of a passenger car or light truck |
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| 16 | 16 | | for which the plate is issued. |
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| 17 | 17 | | (b) Notwithstanding anything in this code to the contrary, a |
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| 18 | 18 | | person is entitled to operate on a public highway a passenger car or |
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| 19 | 19 | | light truck that displays only one license plate if the plate is |
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| 20 | 20 | | attached at the rear of the vehicle. A person may operate on a |
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| 21 | 21 | | public highway a passenger car or light truck that displays two |
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| 22 | 22 | | license plates if both plates were assigned by the department for |
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| 23 | 23 | | the registration period as a set of plates. |
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| 24 | 24 | | (c) In any provision of this code that relates to the |
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| 25 | 25 | | issuance or display of "license plates," "plates," or a "set of |
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| 26 | 26 | | plates" for a passenger car or light truck, the term means only one |
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| 27 | 27 | | license plate. |
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| 28 | 28 | | SECTION 2. Section 504.943, Transportation Code, is amended |
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| 29 | 29 | | by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (f) to read as |
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| 30 | 30 | | follows: |
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| 31 | 31 | | (b) A person commits an offense if the person operates on a |
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| 32 | 32 | | public highway during a registration period a passenger car, light |
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| 33 | 33 | | truck, road tractor, motorcycle, trailer, or semitrailer that does |
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| 34 | 34 | | not display a license plate that: |
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| 35 | 35 | | (1) has been assigned by the department for the |
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| 36 | 36 | | period; and |
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| 37 | 37 | | (2) complies with department rules regarding the |
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| 38 | 38 | | placement of license plates. |
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| 39 | 39 | | (f) In this section, "light truck" and "passenger car" have |
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| 40 | 40 | | the meanings assigned by Section 541.201. |
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| 41 | 41 | | SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act regarding the |
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| 42 | 42 | | issuance of license plates by the Texas Department of Motor |
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| 43 | 43 | | Vehicles applies only to the issuance of license plates by the |
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| 44 | 44 | | department for a registration period beginning on or after the |
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| 45 | 45 | | effective date of this Act. For a registration period that begins |
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| 46 | 46 | | before the effective date of this Act, the department shall issue |
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| 47 | 47 | | license plates as required by the law in effect immediately before |
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| 48 | 48 | | the effective date of this Act, and the former law is continued in |
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| 49 | 49 | | effect for that purpose. |
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| 50 | 50 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
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