By: Bailes, Guillen, Murr H.B. No. 3078
(Senate Sponsor - Nichols)
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 3, 2021;
May 10, 2021, read first time and referred to Committee on
Transportation; May 17, 2021, reported favorably by the following
vote: Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 17, 2021, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the registration of certain motor vehicles as farm or
ranch vehicles.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. The heading to Section 502.433, Transportation
Code, is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 502.433. FEE: COMMERCIAL FARM OR RANCH MOTOR VEHICLE.
SECTION 2. Sections 502.433(a) and (d), Transportation
Code, are amended to read as follows:
(a) The registration fee for a commercial motor vehicle as a
farm vehicle or ranch vehicle is 50 percent of the applicable fee
under Section 502.252 or 502.253, as applicable, if the vehicle's
owner will use the vehicle for commercial purposes only to
transport:
(1) the person's own poultry, dairy, livestock,
livestock products, timber in its natural state, or farm products
to market or another place for sale or processing;
(2) laborers from their place of residence to the
owner's farm or ranch; or
(3) without charge, materials, tools, equipment, or
supplies from the place of purchase or storage to the owner's farm
or ranch exclusively for the owner's use or for use on the farm or
ranch.
(d) The department shall provide separate distinguishing
license plates for farm and ranch vehicles [a vehicle] registered
under this section. The department shall provide a person who
registers a vehicle under this section the option of designating
the vehicle as a farm vehicle or a ranch vehicle.
SECTION 3. Section 545.413(e), Transportation Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(e) It is a defense to prosecution under this section that:
(1) the person possesses a written statement from a
licensed physician stating that for a medical reason the person
should not wear a safety belt;
(2) the person presents to the court, not later than
the 10th day after the date of the offense, a statement from a
licensed physician stating that for a medical reason the person
should not wear a safety belt;
(3) the person is employed by the United States Postal
Service and performing a duty for that agency that requires the
operator to service postal boxes from a vehicle or that requires
frequent entry into and exit from a vehicle;
(4) the person is engaged in the actual delivery of
newspapers from a vehicle or is performing newspaper delivery
duties that require frequent entry into and exit from a vehicle;
(5) the person is employed by a public or private
utility company and is engaged in the reading of meters or
performing a similar duty for that company requiring the operator
to frequently enter into and exit from a vehicle;
(6) the person is operating a commercial vehicle
registered as a farm or ranch vehicle under the provisions of
Section 502.433 that does not have a gross weight, registered
weight, or gross weight rating of 48,000 pounds or more; or
(7) the person is the operator of or a passenger in a
vehicle used exclusively to transport solid waste and performing
duties that require frequent entry into and exit from the vehicle.
SECTION 4. Section 622.074, Transportation Code, is amended
to read as follows:
Sec. 622.074. NONAPPLICABILITY OF SUBCHAPTER. This
subchapter does not apply to:
(1) farm equipment used for a purpose other than
construction;
(2) special mobile equipment owned by a dealer or
distributor;
(3) a vehicle used to propel special mobile equipment
that is registered as a farm or ranch vehicle under Section 502.433;
or
(4) equipment while being used by a commercial hauler
to transport special mobile equipment under hire of a person who
derives $500 in gross receipts annually from a farming or ranching
enterprise.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
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