73R4481 DRH-D
          By Dutton                                             H.B. No. 2076
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the registration of tow trucks.
    1-3        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7, Chapter 1135, Acts
    1-5  of the 70th Legislature, Regular Session, 1987 (Article 6687-9b,
    1-6  Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), are amended to read as follows:
    1-7        Sec. 1.  Definitions.  In this Act:
    1-8              (1)  "Commission" means the Railroad Commission of
    1-9  Texas <Commission of Licensing and Regulation>.
   1-10              (2)  <"Commissioner" means the commissioner of
   1-11  licensing and regulation.>
   1-12              <(3)  "Department" means the Texas Department of
   1-13  Licensing and Regulation.>
   1-14              <(4)>  "Tow truck" means a motor vehicle or mechanical
   1-15  device adapted or used to tow, winch, or otherwise move disabled
   1-16  motor vehicles.
   1-17              (3) <(5)>  "Tow truck owner" means a person engaged in
   1-18  the business of using a tow truck to tow, winch, or otherwise move
   1-19  a motor vehicle.
   1-20        Sec. 2.  Registration Requirement.  (a)  Except as provided
   1-21  by Section 5 of this Act, a person may not operate a tow truck in
   1-22  this state unless the tow truck is registered with the
   1-23  commission <department> as provided by this Act.
   1-24        (b)  The commission <commissioner> shall issue a certificate
    2-1  of registration to a tow truck owner whose vehicle meets the
    2-2  registration requirements prescribed by rule of the
    2-3  commission <commissioner> and who pays the registration fee.
    2-4        (c)  A certificate of registration issued under this Act is
    2-5  not transferable.
    2-6        (d)  Registration fees collected under this Act shall be
    2-7  deposited in a special account in the general revenue fund to be
    2-8  known as the tow truck registration account, which may be
    2-9  appropriated only to the commission for the registration and
   2-10  regulation of tow trucks.
   2-11        Sec. 3.  POWERS AND DUTIES OF COMMISSION <COMMISSIONER>.  The
   2-12  commission <commissioner> shall adopt rules, in the interest of
   2-13  public safety, that provide requirements for registration and
   2-14  maintenance of registration under this Act.  Rules adopted under
   2-15  this section must include <regarding only the> minimum insurance
   2-16  requirements for the operation of tow trucks and minimum safety
   2-17  standards regarding the operation of tow trucks.
   2-18        Sec. 4.  IDENTIFICATION REQUIREMENT.  (a)  To be eligible for
   2-19  registration under this Act, a tow truck must be labeled on both
   2-20  sides of the tow truck with the name, address, and telephone number
   2-21  of the tow truck owner.
   2-22        (b)  The commission <commissioner> shall adopt rules relating
   2-23  to the identification requirement imposed under this section.
   2-24        Sec. 6.  RENEWAL.  A certificate of registration is valid for
   2-25  the period set by the commission and may be renewed by paying to
   2-26  the commission <commissioner> the required renewal fee.
   2-27        Sec. 7.  DENIAL, SUSPENSION, OR REVOCATION OF LICENSE.  (a)
    3-1  The commission <commissioner> may deny, suspend, revoke, or
    3-2  reinstate a certificate of registration.
    3-3        (b)  The commission <commissioner> shall adopt rules
    3-4  establishing the procedures for denial, suspension, revocation, or
    3-5  reinstatement of a certificate of registration for failure to
    3-6  follow the <insurance and minimum  safety> requirements established
    3-7  by the commission <commissioner>.
    3-8        (c)  Proceedings relating to the denial, suspension, or
    3-9  revocation of a certificate of registration issued under this Act
   3-10  are subject to the Administrative Procedure and Texas Register Act
   3-11  (Article 6252-13a, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes).
   3-12        SECTION 2.  Section 11, Chapter 1135, Acts of the 70th
   3-13  Legislature, Regular Session, 1987 (Article 6687-9b, Vernon's Texas
   3-14  Civil Statutes), is repealed.
   3-15        SECTION 3.  (a)  A rule adopted by the Texas Commission of
   3-16  Licensing and Regulation or the commissioner of licensing and
   3-17  regulation under Chapter 1135, Acts of the 70th Legislature,
   3-18  Regular Session, 1987 (Article 6687-9b, Vernon's Texas Civil
   3-19  Statutes), before the effective date of this Act remains in effect
   3-20  as a rule of the Railroad Commission of Texas until superseded by a
   3-21  rule of the Railroad Commission of Texas.
   3-22        (b)  A certificate of registration that is valid on the
   3-23  effective date of this Act remains valid until it expires, or until
   3-24  the Railroad Commission of Texas suspends or revokes the
   3-25  registration.
   3-26        (c)  A proceeding to suspend or revoke a certificate of
   3-27  registration issued under Chapter 1135, Acts of the 70th
    4-1  Legislature, Regular Session, 1987 (Article 6687b, Vernon's Texas
    4-2  Civil Statutes), pending before the Texas Commission of Licensing
    4-3  and Regulation on the effective date of this Act is transferred
    4-4  without change in status to the Railroad Commission of Texas on the
    4-5  effective date of this Act.
    4-6        (d)  All records of the Texas Commission of Licensing and
    4-7  Regulation involving the registration of tow trucks under Chapter
    4-8  1135, Acts of the 70th Legislature, Regular Session, 1987 (Article
    4-9  6687-9b, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), shall be, on the effective
   4-10  date of this Act, transferred to the Railroad Commission of Texas.
   4-11        SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1993.
   4-12        SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the
   4-13  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   4-14  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   4-15  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   4-16  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.