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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a study on authorizing a passenger car or light truck to |
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be operated with only a rear license plate. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. STUDY. (a) The Texas Department of Motor |
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Vehicles and the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas |
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shall jointly conduct a study on the feasibility, cost, and effect |
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on law enforcement of authorizing a passenger car or light truck to |
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be operated with a rear license plate and a windshield sticker |
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instead of a front and rear license plate. |
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(b) The study must evaluate a license plate and windshield |
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sticker system under which: |
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(1) the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles would: |
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(A) issue a set of two license plates to an |
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applicant for registration of a passenger car or light truck; and |
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(B) adopt rules to: |
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(i) authorize a passenger car or light |
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truck to display only a rear license plate if the motor vehicle is |
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not equipped by the manufacturer with an exterior front feature to |
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which a license plate may be fastened without drilling through the |
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exterior of the vehicle; |
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(ii) require a vehicle that displays only a |
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rear license plate under Subparagraph (i) to display a windshield |
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sticker; |
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(iii) prescribe the manner and form of an |
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application for a windshield sticker; |
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(iv) establish a reasonable fee for a |
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windshield sticker; |
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(v) determine the information and |
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documentation required to demonstrate eligibility for a windshield |
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sticker; and |
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(vi) prescribe the form of the windshield |
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sticker and the manner in which the sticker must be displayed; |
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(2) a person commits an offense that is a Class C |
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misdemeanor if the person operates a passenger car or light truck |
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that displays a windshield sticker and only a rear license plate |
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and: |
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(A) the unmounted license plate issued for the |
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vehicle is not in the vehicle; or |
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(B) the person fails to produce for inspection, |
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on the request of a peace officer, the unmounted license plate |
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issued for the vehicle; |
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(3) a peace officer may not stop a passenger car or |
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light truck that displays a windshield sticker and only a rear |
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license plate solely to enforce the requirements that the unmounted |
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license plate issued for the vehicle be in the vehicle and produced |
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at the request of the officer; and |
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(4) a person commits an offense if the person operates |
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on a public highway, during a registration period, a vehicle that |
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does not display all license plates and any windshield sticker |
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required to be displayed on the vehicle. |
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SECTION 2. REPORT. Not later than October 1, 2024, the |
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Texas Department of Motor Vehicles and the Department of Public |
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Safety of the State of Texas shall jointly submit to the legislature |
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a report of the results of the study conducted under this Act. |
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SECTION 3. EXPIRATION DATE. This Act expires September 1, |
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2025. |
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SECTION 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September |
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1, 2023. |