By Davis, et al. 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. Title 116, Revised Statutes, is amended by adding
1-6 Article 6675a-5p to read as follows:
1-7 Article 6675a-5p SPECIAL EVENTS LICENSE PLATES. (a) Except
1-8 as provided in subsection (f), an owner or operator of a motor
1-9 vehicle registered under this Act may apply to the department for
1-10 "Special Event" license plates for that vehicle to be valid for a
1-11 period not to exceed 30 days.
1-12 (b) The department may issue special event license plates,
1-13 in a design approved by the department, for use during an event
1-14 determined by the department to serve a public purpose.
1-15 (c) The person applying under this section for special event
1-16 license plates shall submit an application in the form and manner
1-17 prescribed by the department. Such application shall include the
1-18 proposed design and such other information concerning the event
1-19 required by the department, and shall be accompanied by a fee of $5
1-20 per plate.
1-21 (d) The department shall deposit each fee collected under
1-22 this section in the state treasury to the credit of the state
1-23 highway fund to be used solely for the administration of this
2-1 section.
2-2 (e) A motor vehicle for which a plate or plates has been
2-3 issued under this section must have a license plate displayed in
2-4 the rear windshield or attached on the rear of the vehicle in place
2-5 of its usual license plate.
2-6 (f) (1) An experimental vehicle that is issued license
2-7 plates under this section is exempt from:
2-8 (A) registration under this Act;
2-9 (B) requirements of Article 6701h, Vernon's
2-10 Texas Civil Statutes; and
2-11 (C) vehicle safety inspection requirements under
2-12 Section 140, Uniform Act Regulating Traffic on Highways (Article
2-13 6701d, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes).
2-14 (2) For purposes of this section, an experimental
2-15 vehicle is a motor vehicle that is not regularly marketed or
2-16 produced and that is being tested or demonstrated to establish the
2-17 feasibility or effectiveness of a new design, material, process, or
2-18 technology.
2-19 (g) If a license plate issued under this section is lost,
2-20 stolen, or mutilated, the owner of the vehicle for which the plate
2-21 was issued may obtain a replacement plate from the department by
2-22 paying a replacement fee of $5. If the owner of a vehicle for
2-23 which a plate is issued under this section disposes of the vehicle
2-24 during the period for which the plate is valid, the owner shall
2-25 return the special license plate to the department.
3-1 (h) A vehicle displaying license plates issued under this
3-2 section shall not be operated for the transportation of passenger
3-3 or property whatsoever for compensation or for hire.
3-4 (i) The commission may adopt rules necessary for the
3-5 administration of this Act. Such rules shall include, but are not
3-6 limited to, provisions relating to:
3-7 (1) eligibility criteria for special events; and
3-8 (2) periods for which special event plates are valid.
3-9 SECTION 2. Subsection (b), Section 1A, Texas Motor Vehicle
3-10 Safety-Responsibility Act (Article 6701h, Vernon's Texas Civil
3-11 Statutes) is amended to read as follows:
3-12 (b) The following vehicles are exempt from the requirement
3-13 of Subsection (a) of this section:
3-14 (1) vehicles exempt by Section 33 of this Act;
3-15 (2) any vehicles for which the title is held in the
3-16 name of a volunteer fire department;
3-17 (3) vehicles for which a bond is on file with the
3-18 Department as provided by Section 24 of this Act, or for which a
3-19 certificate has been obtained from the State Treasurer stating that
3-20 the owner and/or operator has deposited with the State Treasurer
3-21 Fifty-Five Thousand Dollars ($55,000) in cash or securities as
3-22 provided by Section 25 of this Act. Such bond or deposit may be
3-23 filed in lieu of carrying automobile liability insurance where
3-24 proof is required;
3-25 (4) vehicles that are self-insured under Section 34 of
4-1 this Act;
4-2 (5) implements of husbandry; <and>
4-3 (6) vehicles for which a valid certificate certifying
4-4 that cash or a cashier's check in the amount of at least Fifty-Five
4-5 Thousand Dollars ($55,000) is deposited with the county judge of
4-6 the county in which the vehicle is registered has been:
4-7 (A) issued by the county judge and acknowledged
4-8 by the sheriff of that county; and
4-9 (B) filed with the Department; and
4-10 (7) experimental vehicles issued license plates under
4-11 Article 6675a-5p, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes.
4-12 SECTION 3. Subsection (h), Section 140, Uniform Act
4-13 Regulating Traffic on Highways (Article 6701d, Vernon's Texas Civil
4-14 Statutes) is amended to read as follows:
4-15 (h) The provisions of this Act shall not apply to the
4-16 vehicles referred to in Subsection (a) of this Section when moving
4-17 under or bearing current "Factory-Delivery License Plates" or
4-18 current "In-transit License Plates." Nor shall the provisions of
4-19 this Act apply to farm machinery, road-building equipment, farm
4-20 trailers, paper dealer in-transit tag, machinery license, disaster
4-21 license, parade license, prorate tabs, one-trip permits, antique
4-22 license, temporary 24-hour permits, permit license, an experimental
4-23 vehicle issued a license plate under Article 6675a-5p, Revised
4-24 Statutes, and all other vehicles required to have a
4-25 slow-moving-vehicle emblem under Section 139(b) of this Act.
5-1 SECTION 4. Subsection (a)(2), Article 6686, Revised
5-2 Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
5-3 (2) Manufacturer's License. (i) Any manufacturer of
5-4 motor vehicles, motorcycles, house trailers, or trailers or
5-5 semitrailers in this State may, instead of registering each new
5-6 vehicle he may wish to test or loan to a consumer in accordance
5-7 with Section 6.07, Texas Motor Vehicle Commission Code (Article
5-8 4413(36), Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), upon the streets or
5-9 public highways, apply for and secure one or more manufacturer's
5-10 license plates which must be attached to any such vehicle sent
5-11 unregistered upon the public streets and highways for the purpose
5-12 of testing or loaning; provided, however, that no load may be
5-13 carried upon commercial motor vehicles so tested or loaned. A
5-14 manufacturer within the meaning of this Act means any person, firm,
5-15 or corporation who manufactures, distributes, or assembles new
5-16 motor vehicles, motorcycles, house trailers, or trailers or
5-17 semitrailers.
5-18 (ii) Civic events.
5-19 (A) In addition to the manufacturer's
5-20 license plates issued under paragraph (i) of this subsection, any
5-21 manufacturer may apply for and secure distinguishing license plates
5-22 for display on vehicles owned by the manufacturer and furnished,
5-23 without charge, for use in public civic events.
5-24 (B) License plates issued under this
5-25 paragraph shall be valid for a period of no more than one year from
6-1 the date of issuance of such distinguishing license plates and may
6-2 be displayed on vehicles for the term of a civic event; provided
6-3 that the civic event has been approved by the Department.
6-4 (C) Upon receipt of an application on a
6-5 form prescribed by the Department and a fee of $5, a license plate
6-6 manufactured in a design approved by the Department and a
6-7 corresponding license plate receipt may be issued to allow the
6-8 movement of vehicles owned by the manufacturer for the purposes
6-9 specified in this paragraph.
6-10 (D) A license plate issued under this
6-11 paragraph shall be displayed on the vehicle in a manner prescribed
6-12 by the Department and the current license plate receipt must be
6-13 readily available for inspection at all times when the vehicle is
6-14 operated upon the public streets and highways of this State.
6-15 (E) The commission may adopt rules
6-16 necessary for the administration of this paragraph. Such rules
6-17 shall include, but are not limited to, provisions relating to
6-18 eligibility criteria for civic events.
6-19 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the
6-20 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
6-21 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
6-22 constitutional rule requiring bills to be filed on three several
6-23 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
6-24 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
6-25 passage, and it is so enacted.