By: Nichols S.B. No. 1365
(In the Senate - Filed February 18, 2025; March 6, 2025,
read first time and referred to Committee on Transportation;
April 2, 2025, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 8,
Nays 0; April 2, 2025, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to vehicle registration, license plates, and inspection
reports.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 2001.223, Government Code, as effective
April 1, 2025, is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 2001.223. EXCEPTIONS FROM DECLARATORY JUDGMENT, COURT
ENFORCEMENT, AND CONTESTED CASE PROVISIONS. Section 2001.038 and
Subchapters C through H do not apply to:
(1) except as provided by Subchapter D, Chapter 545,
the granting, payment, denial, or withdrawal of financial or
medical assistance or benefits under service programs that were
operated by the former Texas Department of Human Services before
September 1, 2003, and are operated on and after that date by the
Health and Human Services Commission or a health and human services
agency, as defined by Section 521.0001;
(2) action by the Banking Commissioner or the Finance
Commission of Texas regarding the issuance of a state bank or state
trust company charter for a bank or trust company to assume the
assets and liabilities of a financial institution that the
commissioner considers to be in hazardous condition as defined by
Section 31.002(a) or 181.002(a), Finance Code, as applicable;
(3) a hearing or interview conducted by the Board of
Pardons and Paroles or the Texas Department of Criminal Justice
relating to the grant, rescission, or revocation of parole or other
form of administrative release; [or]
(4) the suspension, revocation, or termination of the
certification of a breath analysis operator or technical supervisor
under the rules of the Department of Public Safety; or
(5) the refusal to issue or renew a motor vehicle
registration or the cancellation, suspension, or revocation of a
motor vehicle registration under Chapter 502, Transportation Code,
or rules adopted by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles under
that chapter.
SECTION 2. Section 502.044, Transportation Code, is amended
by adding Subsection (a-1) and amending Subsection (e) to read as
follows:
(a-1) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), the department shall
designate a vehicle registration period of 24 consecutive months to
begin on the first day of a calendar month and end on the last day of
the 24th calendar month 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.
(e) The department shall use the date of sale of the vehicle
in designating the registration period [year] for a vehicle for
which registration is applied for under Section 501.0234.
SECTION 3. Section 502.048, Transportation Code, is amended
to read as follows:
Sec. 502.048. REFUSAL TO REGISTER UNSAFE VEHICLE. (a)
Subject to Subsection (b), the [The] department may refuse to
register a motor vehicle and may cancel, suspend, or revoke a
registration if the department determines that a motor vehicle is
unsafe, improperly equipped, or otherwise unfit to be operated on a
public highway.
(b) The department may take action under Subsection (a):
(1) only after providing to the owner of the motor
vehicle for which the registration will be refused, canceled,
suspended, or revoked notice of the proposed action and an
opportunity to respond; and
(2) without a hearing.
SECTION 4. Section 502.360(b), Transportation Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(b) In addition to other fees authorized under this chapter,
at the time of application for registration or renewal of
registration of an electric vehicle, the applicant shall pay an
additional fee of[:
[(1) $400, for the registration of a new vehicle to
which Section 548.102 applies; or
[(2)] $200[,] for each 12 months of [the] registration
[or renewal of registration of a vehicle to which Section 548.101
applies].
SECTION 5. Section 503.008(a), Transportation Code, as
effective July 1, 2025, is amended to read as follows:
(a) The fee for:
(1) a dealer's license plate issued under Section
503.061 is $20 a year; and
(2) a dealer's temporary license plate issued under
Section 503.062 is $10 for an original license plate and $0 for the
renewal of the same license plate.
SECTION 6. Section 503.0633(f), Transportation Code, as
effective July 1, 2025, is amended to read as follows:
(f) If the department determines that a dealer is
fraudulently obtaining license plates or sets of license plates,
[or] fraudulently using the database of dealer-issued license
plates, or obtaining or using vehicle inspection reports described
by Section 548.603(a)(1), the department may, after giving notice
electronically and by certified mail to the dealer, deny access to
the database of dealer-issued license plates to the dealer. A
dealer denied access to the database of dealer-issued license
plates under this subsection may request a hearing on the denial as
provided by Subchapter O, Chapter 2301, Occupations Code.
SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
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