TO:	Honorable Robert Nichols, Chair, Senate Committee on Transportation
FROM:	Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB53 by Thompson, Ed (Relating to the exemption from registration fees of certain vehicles used by nonprofit disaster relief organizations.), As Engrossed

The bill would amend Transportation Code §502.454 to exempt a vehicle owned by a nonprofit disaster relief organization from vehicle registration fees if the vehicle is used by the organization exclusively for emergencies, training, equipment maintenance, transportation of disaster relief supplies, or other activities related to disaster relief.

Under current law, a vehicle owned by a nonprofit disaster relief organization is exempt from registration fees if the vehicle is used exclusively for emergencies. Implementation of the bill would expand the eligible uses and, potentially, the number of vehicles owned by a nonprofit disaster relief organization that would be exempt from registration fees. Based on the information and analysis provided by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, it is assumed the number of additional disaster relief organization vehicles that would qualify for the exemption would not be significant. Therefore, it is assumed implementation of the bill would not result in a significant negative impact to state and local vehicle registration fee revenues.

Local Government Impact

No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.