By Davis, Naishtat H.B. No. 2555
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2555:
By Siebert C.S.H.B. No. 2555
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to issuance of license plates for special and civic
1-3 events.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 88, General Laws, Acts of the 41st
1-6 Legislature, 2nd Called Session, 1929 (Article 6675a-1 et seq.,
1-7 Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes) is amended by adding Section 5p to
1-8 read as follows:
1-9 (a) Except as provided in subsection (f), an owner or
1-10 operator of a motor vehicle registered under this Act may apply to
1-11 the department for special "Special Event" license plates for that
1-12 vehicle to be valid for a period not to exceed 30 days.
1-13 (b) The department may issue special event license plates,
1-14 in a design approved by the department, for use during an event
1-15 determined by the department to serve a public purpose.
1-16 (c) The person applying under this section for special event
1-17 license plates shall submit an application in the form and manner
1-18 prescribed by the department. Such application shall include the
1-19 proposed design and such other information concerning the event
1-20 required by the department, and shall be accompanied by a fee of
1-21 $20 per plate.
1-22 (d) The department shall deposit each fee collected under
1-23 this section in the state treasury to the credit of the state
2-1 highway fund to be used solely for the administration of this
2-2 section.
2-3 (e) A single license plate issued under this section may be
2-4 displayed in the rear windshield or attached on the rear of the
2-5 vehicle in place of its usual license plate; provided that if an
2-6 additional license plate is issued, that plate shall be displayed
2-7 on the front of the vehicle.
2-8 (f)(1) An experimental vehicle, as defined in this
2-9 subsection, is exempt from:
2-10 (A) registration under this Act;
2-11 (B) requirements of the Texas Motor
2-12 Vehicle-Safety Responsibility Act, Article 6701h, Vernon's Texas
2-13 Civil Statutes; and
2-14 (C) vehicle safety inspection requirements under
2-15 Section 140, Article 6701d, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes, Uniform
2-16 Act Regulating Traffic on Highways.
2-17 (2) As used in this section, an experimental vehicle
2-18 is a motor vehicle that is not regularly marketed or produced and
2-19 that is being tested or demonstrated to establish the feasibility
2-20 or effectiveness of a new design, material, process, or technology.
2-21 (g) If a license plate issued under this section is lost,
2-22 stolen, or mutilated, the owner of the vehicle for which the plate
2-23 was issued may obtain a replacement plate from the department by
2-24 paying a replacement fee of $5 per plate. If the owner of a
2-25 vehicle for which a plate is issued under this section disposes of
3-1 the vehicle during the period for which the plate or plates is
3-2 valid, the owner shall return the special license plate or plates
3-3 to the department.
3-4 (h) A vehicle displaying license plates issued under this
3-5 section shall not be operated for the transportation of passenger
3-6 or property whatsoever for compensation or for hire.
3-7 (i) The commission may adopt rules necessary for the
3-8 administration of this Act. Such rules shall include, but are not
3-9 limited to, provisions relating to:
3-10 (1) eligibility criteria for special events; and
3-11 (2) periods for which special event plates are valid.
3-12 SECTION 2. Subsection (b), Section 1A, Texas Motor Vehicle
3-13 Safety-Responsibility Act (Article 6701h, Vernon's Texas Civil
3-14 Statutes) is amended to read as follows:
3-15 (b) The following vehicles are exempt from the requirement
3-16 of Subsection (a) of this section:
3-17 (1) vehicles exempt by Section 33 of this Act;
3-18 (2) any vehicles for which the title is held in the
3-19 name of a volunteer fire department;
3-20 (3) vehicles for which a bond is on file with the
3-21 Department as provided by Section 24 of this Act, or for which a
3-22 certificate has been obtained from the State Treasurer stating that
3-23 the owner and/or operator has deposited with the State Treasurer
3-24 Fifty-Five Thousand Dollars ($55,000) in cash or securities as
3-25 provided by Section 25 of this Act. Such bond or deposit may be
4-1 filed in lieu of carrying automobile liability insurance where
4-2 proof is required;
4-3 (4) vehicles that are self-insured under Section 34 of
4-4 this Act;
4-5 (5) implements of husbandry; <and>
4-6 (6) vehicles for which a valid certificate certifying
4-7 that cash or a cashier's check in the amount of at least Fifty-Five
4-8 Thousand Dollars ($55,000) is deposited with the County judge of
4-9 the county in which the vehicle is registered has been:
4-10 (A) issued by the county judge and acknowledged
4-11 by the sheriff of that county; and
4-12 (B) filed with the Department; and
4-13 (7) experimental vehicles issued license plates under
4-14 Section 5p, Chapter 88, General Laws, Acts of the 41st Legislature,
4-15 2nd Called Session, 1929.
4-16 SECTION 3. Subsection (h), Section 140, Uniform Act
4-17 Regulating Traffic on Highways (Article 6701d, Vernon's Texas Civil
4-18 Statutes) is amended to read as follows:
4-19 (h) The provisions of this Act shall not apply to the
4-20 vehicles referred to in Subsection (a) of this Section when moving
4-21 under or bearing current "Factory-Delivery License Plates" or
4-22 current "In-transit License Plates." Nor shall the provisions of
4-23 this Act apply to farm machinery license, disaster license, parade
4-24 license, prorate tabs, one-trip permits, antique license, temporary
4-25 24-hour permits, permit license, an experimental vehicle issued a
5-1 license plate under Section 5p, Chapter 88, General Laws, Acts of
5-2 the 41st Legislature, 2nd Called Session, 1929, and all other
5-3 vehicles required to have a slow-moving-vehicle emblem under
5-4 Section 139(b) of this Act.
5-5 SECTION 4. Section (a)(2), Article 6686, Revised Statutes,
5-6 is amended to read as follows:
5-7 (2) Manufacturer's License.
5-8 (i) Any manufacturer of motor vehicles,
5-9 motorcycles, or trailers or semitrailers in this State may, instead
5-10 of registering each new vehicle he may wish to test or loan to a
5-11 consumer in accordance with Section 6.07, Texas Motor Vehicle
5-12 Commission Code (Article 4413(36), Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes),
5-13 upon the streets or public highways, apply for and secure one or
5-14 more manufacturer's license plates on which must be attached to any
5-15 such vehicle sent unregistered upon the public streets and highways
5-16 for the purpose of testing or loaning; provided, however, that no
5-17 load may be carried upon commercial motor vehicles so tested or
5-18 loaned. A manufacturer within the meaning of this Act means any
5-19 person, firm, or corporation who manufactures, distributes, or
5-20 assembles new motor vehicles, motorcycles, house trailers, or
5-21 trailers or semitrailers.
5-22 (ii)(A) In addition to the manufacturer's
5-23 license plates issued under paragraph (i) of this subsection, any
5-24 manufacturer may apply for and secure distinguishing license plates
5-25 for display on vehicles owned by the manufacturer and furnished,
6-1 without charge, for use in public civic events.
6-2 (B) License plates issued under this
6-3 paragraph shall be valid for a period of no more than one year from
6-4 the date of issuance of such distinguishing license plates and may
6-5 be displayed on vehicles for the term of a civic event; provided
6-6 that the civic event has been approved by the department.
6-7 (C) Upon receipt of an application on a
6-8 form prescribed by the Department and a fee of $10, a license plate
6-9 manufactured in a design approved by the Department and a
6-10 corresponding license plate receipt may be issued to allow the
6-11 movement of vehicles owned by the manufacturer for the purposes
6-12 specified in this paragraph.
6-13 (D) A license plate issued under this
6-14 paragraph shall be displayed on the vehicle in a manner prescribed
6-15 by the Department and the current license plate receipt must be
6-16 readily available for inspection at all times when the vehicle is
6-17 operated upon the public streets and highways of this State.
6-18 (E) The commission may adopt rules
6-19 necessary for the administration of this paragraph. Such rules
6-20 shall include, but are not limited to, provisions relating to
6-21 eligibility criteria for civic events.
6-22 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the
6-23 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
6-24 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
6-25 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
7-1 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
7-2 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
7-3 passage, and it is so enacted.