| 1 | 1 | | By: Ortega, Ordaz, González of El Paso, H.B. No. 78 |
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| 2 | 2 | | Lujan, Moody, et al. |
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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 authorization by referendum of an optional county |
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| 8 | 8 | | fee on vehicle registration in certain counties. |
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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. Section 502.402(b-1), Transportation Code, is |
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| 11 | 11 | | amended to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | (b-1) The commissioners court of a county described by |
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| 13 | 13 | | Subsection (a)(1) [(a)] with a population of less than 700,000 or a |
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| 14 | 14 | | county described by Subsection (a)(2) or (3) may increase the |
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| 15 | 15 | | additional fee to an amount that does not exceed $20 if approved by |
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| 16 | 16 | | a majority of the qualified voters of the county voting on the issue |
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| 17 | 17 | | at a referendum election, which the commissioners court may order |
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| 18 | 18 | | and hold for that purpose. |
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| 19 | 19 | | SECTION 2. Subchapter H, Chapter 502, Transportation Code, |
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| 20 | 20 | | is amended by adding Section 502.4021 to read as follows: |
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| 21 | 21 | | Sec. 502.4021. OPTIONAL COUNTY FEE FOR TRANSPORTATION |
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| 22 | 22 | | PROJECTS APPROVED BY METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION. (a) This |
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| 23 | 23 | | section applies only to a county that borders the United Mexican |
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| 24 | 24 | | States and contains a municipality that unilaterally created a |
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| 25 | 25 | | regional mobility authority. |
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| 26 | 26 | | (b) The commissioners court of a county by order may impose, |
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| 27 | 27 | | in addition to any fee imposed under Section 502.402 or another |
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| 28 | 28 | | provision of this chapter, a fee of not more than $10 for a vehicle |
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| 29 | 29 | | registered in the county if approved by a majority of the qualified |
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| 30 | 30 | | voters of the county voting at an election, which the commissioners |
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| 31 | 31 | | court may order and hold for that purpose. |
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| 32 | 32 | | (c) A vehicle that may be registered under this chapter |
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| 33 | 33 | | without payment of a registration fee may be registered under this |
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| 34 | 34 | | section without payment of the additional fee. |
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| 35 | 35 | | (d) A fee imposed under this section may take effect and be |
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| 36 | 36 | | removed in accordance with the requirements of Section 502.401. |
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| 37 | 37 | | (e) The additional fee shall be collected for a vehicle when |
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| 38 | 38 | | other fees imposed under this chapter are collected. |
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| 39 | 39 | | (f) The fee revenue collected shall be sent to a regional |
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| 40 | 40 | | mobility authority located in the county to fund long-term |
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| 41 | 41 | | transportation projects in the county that are: |
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| 42 | 42 | | (1) consistent with the purposes specified by Section |
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| 43 | 43 | | 7-a, Article VIII, Texas Constitution; and |
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| 44 | 44 | | (2) included in a plan approved by the metropolitan |
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| 45 | 45 | | planning organization that serves the county. |
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| 46 | 46 | | (g) The department shall adopt rules necessary to |
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| 47 | 47 | | administer registration for a vehicle being registered in a county |
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| 48 | 48 | | imposing a fee under this section. |
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| 49 | 49 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 50 | 50 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 51 | 51 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 52 | 52 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 53 | 53 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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