H.B. No. 3224

AN ACT

relating to the status of the registration of a vehicle after a failure to establish financial responsibility.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. The heading to Subchapter H, Chapter 601, Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER H. FAILURE TO MAINTAIN EVIDENCE OF FINANCIAL

RESPONSIBILITY; SUSPENSION OF DRIVER'S LICENSE [AND MOTOR VEHICLE

REGISTRATION]

SECTION 2. The heading to Section 601.231, Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 601.231. SUSPENSION OF DRIVER'S LICENSE [AND VEHICLE REGISTRATION].

SECTION 3. Section 601.231(a), Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) If a person is convicted of an offense under Section 601.191 and a prior conviction of that person under that section has been reported to the department by a magistrate or the judge or clerk of a court, the department shall suspend the driver's license [and vehicle registrations] of the person unless the person files and maintains evidence of financial responsibility with the department until the second anniversary of the date of the subsequent conviction.

SECTION 4. Section 601.232, Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 601.232. NOTICE OF SUSPENSION. (a) The department shall send in a timely manner a notice to each person whose driver's license is [and vehicle registrations are] suspended under Section 601.231.

(b) The notice must state that the person's driver's license is [and registration are] suspended and that the person may apply for reinstatement of the license [and vehicle registration] or issuance of a new license [and registration] as provided by Sections 601.162 and 601.376.

SECTION 5. Section 601.233(a), Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) A citation for an offense under Section 601.191 issued as a result of Section 601.053 must include, in type larger than other type on the citation, the following statement: "A second or subsequent conviction of an offense under the Texas Motor Vehicle Safety Responsibility Act will result in the suspension of your driver's license [and motor vehicle registration] unless you file and maintain evidence of financial responsibility with the Department of Public Safety for two years from the date of conviction. The department may waive the requirement to file evidence of financial responsibility if you file satisfactory evidence with the department showing that at the time this citation was issued, the vehicle was covered by a motor vehicle liability insurance policy or that you were otherwise exempt from the requirements to provide evidence of financial responsibility."

SECTION 6. The change in law made by this Act applies only to a vehicle registration suspended for an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. A vehicle registration suspended for an offense committed before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred before that date.

SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.

______________________________ ______________________________

President of the Senate Speaker of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 3224 was passed by the House on May 2, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 131, Nays 14, 2 present, not voting.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 3224 was passed by the Senate on May 22, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1.

______________________________ Secretary of the Senate APPROVED: _____________________

Date

_____________________

Governor