Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1365 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		By: Nichols S.B. No. 1365
2		-
3		-
	2	+	(In the Senate - Filed February 18, 2025; March 6, 2025,
	3	+	read first time and referred to Committee on Transportation;
	4	+	April 2, 2025, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 8,
	5	+	Nays 0; April 2, 2025, sent to printer.)
	6	+	Click here to see the committee vote
4	7
5	8
6	9		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
7	10		AN ACT
8	11		relating to vehicle registration, license plates, and inspection
9	12		reports.
10	13		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	14		SECTION 1. Section 2001.223, Government Code, as effective
12	15		April 1, 2025, is amended to read as follows:
13	16		Sec. 2001.223. EXCEPTIONS FROM DECLARATORY JUDGMENT, COURT
14	17		ENFORCEMENT, AND CONTESTED CASE PROVISIONS. Section 2001.038 and
15	18		Subchapters C through H do not apply to:
16	19		(1) except as provided by Subchapter D, Chapter 545,
17	20		the granting, payment, denial, or withdrawal of financial or
18	21		medical assistance or benefits under service programs that were
19	22		operated by the former Texas Department of Human Services before
20	23		September 1, 2003, and are operated on and after that date by the
21	24		Health and Human Services Commission or a health and human services
22	25		agency, as defined by Section 521.0001;
23	26		(2) action by the Banking Commissioner or the Finance
24	27		Commission of Texas regarding the issuance of a state bank or state
25	28		trust company charter for a bank or trust company to assume the
26	29		assets and liabilities of a financial institution that the
27	30		commissioner considers to be in hazardous condition as defined by
28	31		Section 31.002(a) or 181.002(a), Finance Code, as applicable;
29	32		(3) a hearing or interview conducted by the Board of
30	33		Pardons and Paroles or the Texas Department of Criminal Justice
31	34		relating to the grant, rescission, or revocation of parole or other
32	35		form of administrative release; [or]
33	36		(4) the suspension, revocation, or termination of the
34	37		certification of a breath analysis operator or technical supervisor
35	38		under the rules of the Department of Public Safety; or
36	39		(5) the refusal to issue or renew a motor vehicle
37	40		registration or the cancellation, suspension, or revocation of a
38	41		motor vehicle registration under Chapter 502, Transportation Code,
39	42		or rules adopted by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles under
40	43		that chapter.
41	44		SECTION 2. Section 502.044, Transportation Code, is amended
42	45		by adding Subsection (a-1) and amending Subsection (e) to read as
43	46		follows:
44	47		(a-1) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), the department shall
45	48		designate a vehicle registration period of 24 consecutive months to
46	49		begin on the first day of a calendar month and end on the last day of
47	50		the 24th calendar month for a passenger car or light truck that:
48	51		(1) is sold in this state or purchased by a commercial
49	52		fleet buyer described by Section 501.0234(b)(4) for use in this
50	53		state;
51	54		(2) has not been previously registered in this or
52	55		another state; and
53	56		(3) on the date of sale, is of the current or preceding
54	57		model year.
55	58		(e) The department shall use the date of sale of the vehicle
56	59		in designating the registration period [year] for a vehicle for
57	60		which registration is applied for under Section 501.0234.
58	61		SECTION 3. Section 502.048, Transportation Code, is amended
59	62		to read as follows:
60	63		Sec. 502.048. REFUSAL TO REGISTER UNSAFE VEHICLE. (a)
61	64		Subject to Subsection (b), the [The] department may refuse to
62	65		register a motor vehicle and may cancel, suspend, or revoke a
63	66		registration if the department determines that a motor vehicle is
64	67		unsafe, improperly equipped, or otherwise unfit to be operated on a
65	68		public highway.
66	69		(b) The department may take action under Subsection (a):
67	70		(1) only after providing to the owner of the motor
68	71		vehicle for which the registration will be refused, canceled,
69	72		suspended, or revoked notice of the proposed action and an
70	73		opportunity to respond; and
71	74		(2) without a hearing.
72	75		SECTION 4. Section 502.360(b), Transportation Code, is
73	76		amended to read as follows:
74	77		(b) In addition to other fees authorized under this chapter,
75	78		at the time of application for registration or renewal of
76	79		registration of an electric vehicle, the applicant shall pay an
77	80		additional fee of[:
78	81		[(1) $400, for the registration of a new vehicle to
79	82		which Section 548.102 applies; or
80	83		[(2)] $200[,] for each 12 months of [the] registration
81	84		[or renewal of registration of a vehicle to which Section 548.101
82	85		applies].
83	86		SECTION 5. Section 503.008(a), Transportation Code, as
84	87		effective July 1, 2025, is amended to read as follows:
85	88		(a) The fee for:
86	89		(1) a dealer's license plate issued under Section
87	90		503.061 is $20 a year; and
88	91		(2) a dealer's temporary license plate issued under
89	92		Section 503.062 is $10 for an original license plate and $0 for the
90	93		renewal of the same license plate.
91	94		SECTION 6. Section 503.0633(f), Transportation Code, as
92	95		effective July 1, 2025, is amended to read as follows:
93	96		(f) If the department determines that a dealer is
94	97		fraudulently obtaining license plates or sets of license plates,
95	98		[or] fraudulently using the database of dealer-issued license
96	99		plates, or obtaining or using vehicle inspection reports described
97	100		by Section 548.603(a)(1), the department may, after giving notice
98	101		electronically and by certified mail to the dealer, deny access to
99	102		the database of dealer-issued license plates to the dealer. A
100	103		dealer denied access to the database of dealer-issued license
101	104		plates under this subsection may request a hearing on the denial as
102	105		provided by Subchapter O, Chapter 2301, Occupations Code.
103	106		SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
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