Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB1607 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		89R1754 BEE-D
2	2		By: Metcalf H.B. No. 1607
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5	7		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	8		AN ACT
7	9		relating to license plates and license plate windshield insignia
8	10		issued for and displayed on a vehicle; authorizing a fee; creating a
9	11		criminal offense.
10	12		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	13		SECTION 1. Section 504.010, Transportation Code, is amended
12	14		by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (d) to read as
13	15		follows:
14	16		(a) On payment of the prescribed fee, an applicant for motor
15	17		vehicle registration shall be issued a license plate or set of
16	18		plates, provided that the department must issue a set of two plates
17	19		to an applicant for registration of a passenger car or light truck.
18	20		(d) Rules adopted under Subsection (c) must:
19	21		(1) authorize a passenger car or light truck to
20	22		display only a rear license plate if the motor vehicle is not
21	23		equipped by the manufacturer with an exterior front feature to
22	24		which a license plate may be fastened without drilling through the
23	25		exterior of the vehicle; and
24	26		(2) require a vehicle that displays only a rear
25	27		license plate under Subdivision (1) to display a license plate
26	28		windshield insignia.
27	29		SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 504, Transportation Code,
28	30		is amended by adding Section 504.011 to read as follows:
29	31		Sec. 504.011. ISSUANCE AND PLACEMENT OF LICENSE PLATE
30	32		WINDSHIELD INSIGNIA. (a) The department shall issue a license
31	33		plate windshield insignia to an applicant for registration of a
32	34		passenger car or light truck if:
33	35		(1) the applicant:
34	36		(A) applies for the license plate windshield
35	37		insignia in the form and manner prescribed by the department; and
36	38		(B) pays the prescribed fee for the license plate
37	39		windshield insignia; and
38	40		(2) the passenger car or light truck is not equipped by
39	41		the manufacturer with an exterior front feature to which a license
40	42		plate may be fastened without drilling through the exterior of the
41	43		vehicle.
42	44		(b) The department by rule may:
43	45		(1) prescribe the manner and form of an application
44	46		for a license plate windshield insignia;
45	47		(2) establish a reasonable fee for a license plate
46	48		windshield insignia in an amount necessary to cover the costs of
47	49		administering this section; and
48	50		(3) determine the information and documentation
49	51		required to demonstrate eligibility for a license plate windshield
50	52		insignia.
51	53		(c) The department by rule shall prescribe the form of the
52	54		license plate windshield insignia and the manner in which the
53	55		license plate windshield insignia must be displayed. Rules adopted
54	56		under this subsection must require that a license plate windshield
55	57		insignia issued under this section:
56	58		(1) show the same information that is required to be
57	59		shown on the license plate issued for the vehicle; and
58	60		(2) be displayed in the interior of the vehicle's front
59	61		windshield.
60	62		(d) The operator of a passenger car or light truck that
61	63		displays a license plate windshield insignia issued under this
62	64		section and only a rear license plate shall:
63	65		(1) have in the operator's possession while operating
64	66		the vehicle the unmounted license plate issued for the vehicle
65	67		under Section 504.010(a); and
66	68		(2) at the request of a peace officer, produce for
67	69		inspection the unmounted license plate issued for the vehicle under
68	70		Section 504.010(a).
69	71		SECTION 3. The heading to Section 504.943, Transportation
70	72		Code, is amended to read as follows:
71	73		Sec. 504.943. OPERATION OF VEHICLE WITHOUT REQUIRED LICENSE
72	74		PLATE OR LICENSE PLATE WINDSHIELD INSIGNIA.
73	75		SECTION 4. Section 504.943, Transportation Code, is amended
74	76		by amending Subsections (a) and (d) and adding Subsections (a-1),
75	77		(d-1), and (f) to read as follows:
76	78		(a) A [Except as provided by Subsection (b), a] person
77	79		commits an offense if the person operates on a public highway,
78	80		during a registration period, a [motor] vehicle that does not
79	81		display all [two] license plates and any license plate windshield
80	82		insignia required by this chapter or a rule adopted under this
81	83		chapter to be displayed on the vehicle that:
82	84		(1) have been assigned by the department for the
83	85		period; and
84	86		(2) comply with department rules regarding the
85	87		placement of license plates and license plate windshield insignia.
86	88		(a-1) A person commits an offense if the person operates on
87	89		a public highway a passenger car or light truck that displays a
88	90		license plate windshield insignia and only a rear license plate
89	91		and:
90	92		(1) the unmounted license plate issued for the vehicle
91	93		under Section 504.010(a) is not in the person's possession; or
92	94		(2) the person fails to produce for inspection, on the
93	95		request of a peace officer, the unmounted license plate issued for
94	96		the vehicle under Section 504.010(a).
95	97		(d) A court may dismiss a charge brought under Subsection
96	98		(a)[(a)(1)] if the defendant:
97	99		(1) remedies the defect before the defendant's first
98	100		court appearance; and
99	101		(2) pays a reimbursement fee not to exceed $10.
100	102		(d-1) A court may dismiss a charge brought under Subsection
101	103		(a-1) if the defendant:
102	104		(1) produces in court the unmounted license plate
103	105		issued for the vehicle under Section 504.010(a); and
104	106		(2) pays a reimbursement fee not to exceed $10.
105	107		(f) A peace officer may not stop a motor vehicle or detain
106	108		the operator of a motor vehicle solely to enforce Subsection (a-1)
107	109		if the vehicle displays a license plate windshield insignia that:
108	110		(1) has been assigned by the department for the
109	111		registration period; and
110	112		(2) complies with department rules regarding the
111	113		placement of the license plate windshield insignia.
112	114		SECTION 5. Section 504.943(b), Transportation Code, is
113	115		repealed.
114	116		SECTION 6. The change in law made by this Act applies only
115	117		to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act.
116	118		An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is
117	119		governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed,
118	120		and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For
119	121		purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the
120	122		effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred
121	123		before that date.
122	124		SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.