87S20668 JRR-D
By: Morales of Maverick H.B. No. 173
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to vehicle safety inspections for vehicles registered in
certain counties; imposing a fee.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 382.0622(a), Health and Safety Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(a) Clean Air Act fees consist of:
(1) fees collected by the commission under Sections
382.062, 382.0621, 382.202, and 382.302 and as otherwise provided
by law;
(2) $2 from the portion of each fee collected for
inspections of vehicles other than mopeds and remitted to the state
under Sections 548.501 and 548.503, Transportation Code; [and]
(3) $6 from the portion of each fee collected for
inspections of vehicles other than mopeds and remitted to the state
under Section 548.5035, Transportation Code; and
(4) fees collected that are required under Section 185
of the federal Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. Section 7511d).
SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 548, Transportation Code,
is amended by adding Section 548.010 to read as follows:
Sec. 548.010. INSPECTION IN ANY COUNTY PERMITTED FOR
VEHICLES REGISTERED IN CERTAIN COUNTIES. Notwithstanding any other
law, a vehicle inspected under Section 548.1025 may be inspected in
any county.
SECTION 3. Section 548.101, Transportation Code, is amended
to read as follows:
Sec. 548.101. GENERAL ONE-YEAR INSPECTION PERIOD. Except
as provided by Sections [Section] 548.102 and 548.1025, the
department shall require an annual inspection. The department
shall set the periods of inspection and may make rules with respect
to those periods. The rules must provide that:
(1) a vehicle owner shall [may] obtain any required
inspections [an inspection] not earlier than 90 days before the
date of expiration of the vehicle's registration; and
(2) a used motor vehicle sold by a dealer, as defined
by Section 503.001, must be inspected in the 180 days preceding the
date the dealer sells the vehicle.
SECTION 4. Section 548.102(a), Transportation Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(a) Except as provided by Section 548.1025, the [The]
initial inspection period is two years for a passenger car or light
truck that:
(1) is sold in this state or purchased by a commercial
fleet buyer described by Section 501.0234(b)(4) for use in this
state;
(2) has not been previously registered in this or
another state; and
(3) on the date of sale is of the current or preceding
model year.
SECTION 5. Subchapter C, Chapter 548, Transportation Code,
is amended by adding Section 548.1025 to read as follows:
Sec. 548.1025. INSPECTION PERIOD FOR VEHICLES REGISTERED IN
CERTAIN COUNTIES. (a) This section applies only to a vehicle that
is registered in a county that has:
(1) a population of less than 10,000; and
(2) a total area of more than 2,000 square miles.
(b) The inspection period for a vehicle described by
Subsection (a) is three years.
(c) This section does not apply to the inspection period for
a:
(1) commercial motor vehicle inspection under
Subchapter D; or
(2) motor vehicle emissions inspection under
Subchapter F.
SECTION 6. Section 548.254, Transportation Code, is amended
to read as follows:
Sec. 548.254. VALIDITY OF VEHICLE INSPECTION REPORT. The
department, and the conservation commission if necessary, by rule
shall establish the length of time a [A] vehicle inspection report
required by this chapter is valid [invalid after the end of the 12th
month following the month in which the report is issued].
SECTION 7. Section 548.501(a), Transportation Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(a) Except as provided by Sections 548.503, 548.5035, and
548.504, the fee for inspection of a motor vehicle other than a
moped is $12.50. The fee for inspection of a moped is $5.75.
SECTION 8. Subchapter H, Chapter 548, Transportation Code,
is amended by adding Section 548.5035 to read as follows:
Sec. 548.5035. FEE FOR THREE-YEAR INSPECTION OF VEHICLES
REGISTERED IN CERTAIN COUNTIES. (a) Except as provided by
Subsection (b), the fee for inspection of a vehicle under Section
548.1025 is $23.50.
(b) The fee for inspection of a moped under Section 548.1025
is $16.75.
(c) Out of each fee for an inspection, $16.50 shall be
remitted to the state under Section 548.509.
SECTION 9. Section 548.505(a), Transportation Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(a) The department by rule may impose an inspection fee for
a vehicle inspected under Section 548.301(a) in addition to the fee
provided by Section 548.501, 548.502, 548.503, 548.5035, or
548.504. A fee imposed under this subsection must be based on the
costs of:
(1) providing inspections; and
(2) administering the program.
SECTION 10. Not later than April 1, 2022, the Texas
Department of Motor Vehicles shall adopt rules and update the
department's registration database and system as necessary to
ensure that an owner of a vehicle subject to Section 548.010,
Transportation Code, as added by this Act, is able to register or
renew registration of the vehicle without obtaining an annual
safety inspection of the vehicle.
SECTION 11. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this
section, this Act takes effect May 1, 2022.
(b) Section 10 of this Act takes effect January 1, 2022.