1-1 By: Davis, Naishtat (Senate Sponsor - Madla) H.B. No. 2555
1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 12, 1993;
1-3 May 13, 1993, read first time and referred to Committee on State
1-4 Affairs; May 22, 1993, reported favorably, as amended, by the
1-5 following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 22, 1993, sent to printer.)
1-6 COMMITTEE VOTE
1-7 Yea Nay PNV Absent
1-8 Harris of Dallas x
1-9 Rosson x
1-10 Carriker x
1-11 Henderson x
1-12 Leedom x
1-13 Lucio x
1-14 Luna x
1-15 Nelson x
1-16 Patterson x
1-17 Shelley x
1-18 Sibley x
1-19 West x
1-20 Whitmire x
1-21 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1 By: Nelson
1-22 Amend H.B. 2555 on page 1, line 36, by striking "30" and
1-23 substituting "31".
1-24 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-25 AN ACT
1-26 relating to issuance of license plates for special and civic
1-27 events.
1-28 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-29 SECTION 1. Chapter 88, General Laws, Acts of the 41st
1-30 Legislature, 2nd Called Session, 1929 (Article 6675a-1 et seq.,
1-31 Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended by adding Section 5p to
1-32 read as follows:
1-33 Sec. 5p. (a) Except as provided in Subsection (f), an owner
1-34 or operator of a motor vehicle registered under this Act may apply
1-35 to the department for special "Special Event" license plates for
1-36 that vehicle to be valid for a period not to exceed 30 days.
1-37 (b) The department may issue special event license plates,
1-38 in a design approved by the department, for use during an event
1-39 determined by the department to serve a public purpose.
1-40 (c) The person applying under this section for special event
1-41 license plates shall submit an application in the form and manner
1-42 prescribed by the department. Such application shall include the
1-43 proposed design and such other information concerning the event
1-44 required by the department and shall be accompanied by a fee of $20
1-45 per plate.
1-46 (d) The department shall deposit each fee collected under
1-47 this section in the state treasury to the credit of the state
1-48 highway fund to be used solely for the administration of this
1-49 section.
1-50 (e) A single license plate issued under this section may be
1-51 displayed in the rear windshield or attached on the rear of the
1-52 vehicle in place of its usual license plate; provided that if an
1-53 additional license plate is issued, that plate shall be displayed
1-54 on the front of the vehicle.
1-55 (f)(1) An experimental vehicle, as defined in this
1-56 subsection, is exempt from:
1-57 (A) registration under this Act;
1-58 (B) requirements of the Texas Motor Vehicle
1-59 Safety-Responsibility Act (Article 6701h, Vernon's Texas Civil
1-60 Statutes); and
1-61 (C) vehicle safety inspection requirements under
1-62 Section 140, Uniform Act Regulating Traffic on Highways (Article
1-63 6701d, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes).
1-64 (2) As used in this section, an experimental vehicle
1-65 is a motor vehicle that is not regularly marketed or produced and
1-66 that is being tested or demonstrated to establish the feasibility
1-67 or effectiveness of a new design, material, process, or technology.
1-68 (g) If a license plate issued under this section is lost,
2-1 stolen, or mutilated, the owner of the vehicle for which the plate
2-2 was issued may obtain a replacement plate from the department by
2-3 paying a replacement fee of $5 per plate. If the owner of a
2-4 vehicle for which a plate is issued under this section disposes of
2-5 the vehicle during the period for which the plate or plates is
2-6 valid, the owner shall return the special license plate or plates
2-7 to the department.
2-8 (h) A vehicle displaying license plates issued under this
2-9 section shall not be operated for the transportation of passenger
2-10 or property whatsoever for compensation or for hire.
2-11 (i) The commission may adopt rules necessary for the
2-12 administration of this Act. Such rules shall include, but are not
2-13 limited to, provisions relating to:
2-14 (1) eligibility criteria for special events; and
2-15 (2) periods for which special event plates are valid.
2-16 SECTION 2. Subsection (b), Section 1A, Texas Motor Vehicle
2-17 Safety-Responsibility Act (Article 6701h, Vernon's Texas Civil
2-18 Statutes), is amended to read as follows:
2-19 (b) The following vehicles are exempt from the requirement
2-20 of Subsection (a) of this section:
2-21 (1) vehicles exempt by Section 33 of this Act;
2-22 (2) any vehicles for which the title is held in the
2-23 name of a volunteer fire department;
2-24 (3) vehicles for which a bond is on file with the
2-25 Department as provided by Section 24 of this Act, or for which a
2-26 certificate has been obtained from the State Treasurer stating that
2-27 the owner and/or operator has deposited with the State Treasurer
2-28 Fifty-Five Thousand Dollars ($55,000) in cash or securities as
2-29 provided by Section 25 of this Act. Such bond or deposit may be
2-30 filed in lieu of carrying automobile liability insurance where
2-31 proof is required;
2-32 (4) vehicles that are self-insured under Section 34 of
2-33 this Act;
2-34 (5) implements of husbandry; <and>
2-35 (6) vehicles for which a valid certificate certifying
2-36 that cash or a cashier's check in the amount of at least Fifty-Five
2-37 Thousand Dollars ($55,000) is deposited with the county judge of
2-38 the county in which the vehicle is registered has been:
2-39 (A) issued by the county judge and acknowledged
2-40 by the sheriff of that county; and
2-41 (B) filed with the Department; and
2-42 (7) experimental vehicles issued license plates under
2-43 Section 5p, Chapter 88, General Laws, Acts of the 41st Legislature,
2-44 2nd Called Session, 1929.
2-45 SECTION 3. Subsection (h), Section 140, Uniform Act
2-46 Regulating Traffic on Highways (Article 6701d, Vernon's Texas Civil
2-47 Statutes), is amended to read as follows:
2-48 (h) The provisions of this Act shall not apply to the
2-49 vehicles referred to in Subsection (a) of this Section when moving
2-50 under or bearing current "Factory-Delivery License Plates" or
2-51 current "In-transit License Plates." Nor shall the provisions of
2-52 this Act apply to farm machinery, road-building equipment, farm
2-53 trailers, paper dealer in-transit tag, machinery license, disaster
2-54 license, parade license, prorate tabs, one-trip permits, antique
2-55 license, temporary 24-hour permits, permit license, an experimental
2-56 vehicle issued a license plate under Section 5p, Chapter 88,
2-57 General Laws, Acts of the 41st Legislature, 2nd Called Session,
2-58 1929 (Article 6675a-5p, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), and all
2-59 other vehicles required to have a slow-moving-vehicle emblem under
2-60 Section 139(b) of this Act.
2-61 SECTION 4. Section (a)(2), Article 6686, Revised Statutes,
2-62 is amended to read as follows:
2-63 (2) Manufacturer's License.
2-64 (i) Any manufacturer of motor vehicles,
2-65 motorcycles, house trailers, or trailers or semitrailers in this
2-66 State may, instead of registering each new vehicle he may wish to
2-67 test or loan to a consumer in accordance with Section 6.07, Texas
2-68 Motor Vehicle Commission Code (Article 4413(36), Vernon's Texas
2-69 Civil Statutes), upon the streets or public highways, apply for and
2-70 secure one or more manufacturer's license plates which must be
3-1 attached to any such vehicle sent unregistered upon the public
3-2 streets and highways for the purpose of testing or loaning;
3-3 provided, however, that no load may be carried upon commercial
3-4 motor vehicles so tested or loaned. A manufacturer within the
3-5 meaning of this Act means any person, firm, or corporation who
3-6 manufactures, distributes, or assembles new motor vehicles,
3-7 motorcycles, house trailers, or trailers or semitrailers.
3-8 (ii)(A) In addition to the manufacturer's
3-9 license plates issued under Paragraph (i) of this subsection, any
3-10 manufacturer may apply for and secure distinguishing license plates
3-11 for display on vehicles owned by the manufacturer and furnished,
3-12 without charge, for use in public civic events.
3-13 (B) License plates issued under this
3-14 paragraph shall be valid for a period of no more than one year from
3-15 the date of issuance of such distinguishing license plates and may
3-16 be displayed on vehicles for the term of a civic event; provided
3-17 that the civic event has been approved by the Department.
3-18 (C) Upon receipt of an application on a
3-19 form prescribed by the Department and a fee of $10, a license plate
3-20 manufactured in a design approved by the Department and a
3-21 corresponding license plate receipt may be issued to allow the
3-22 movement of vehicles owned by the manufacturer for the purposes
3-23 specified in this paragraph.
3-24 (D) A license plate issued under this
3-25 paragraph shall be displayed on the vehicle in a manner prescribed
3-26 by the Department and the current license plate receipt must be
3-27 readily available for inspection at all times when the vehicle is
3-28 operated upon the public streets and highways of this State.
3-29 (E) The commission may adopt rules
3-30 necessary for the administration of this paragraph. Such rules
3-31 shall include, but are not limited to, provisions relating to
3-32 eligibility criteria for civic events.
3-33 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the
3-34 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-35 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-36 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-37 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-38 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
3-39 passage, and it is so enacted.
3-40 * * * * *
3-41 Austin,
3-42 Texas
3-43 May 22, 1993
3-44 Hon. Bob Bullock
3-45 President of the Senate
3-46 Sir:
3-47 We, your Committee on State Affairs to which was referred H.B. No.
3-48 2555, have had the same under consideration, and I am instructed to
3-49 report it back to the Senate with the recommendation that it do
3-50 pass, as amended, and be printed.
3-51 Rosson,
3-52 Vice-Chairman
3-53 * * * * *
3-54 WITNESSES
3-55 FOR AGAINST ON
3-56 ___________________________________________________________________
3-57 Name: Jerry Dike x
3-58 Representing: Tx Dept. of Transportation
3-59 City: Austin
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