By Carona, Hilbert                                    H.B. No. 1225
       74R3640 DWS-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the display of evidence of registration and inspection
    1-3  on former military vehicles.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Chapter 3, Acts of the 43rd Legislature, 2nd
    1-6  Called Session, 1934 (Article 6675a-3e, Vernon's Texas Civil
    1-7  Statutes), is amended by adding Section 8A to read as follows:
    1-8        Sec. 8A.  (a) In this section, "former military vehicle"
    1-9  means a vehicle that:
   1-10              (1)  has been, but no longer is, used by the armed
   1-11  forces of a national government; and
   1-12              (2)  displays official markings indicating its former
   1-13  military affiliation.
   1-14        (b)  A former military vehicle operated on a public highway
   1-15  is not required to display license plates or any symbol, tab, or
   1-16  other device indicating registration of the vehicle if:
   1-17              (1)  the vehicle bears a registration mark as provided
   1-18  by Subsection (c) of this section; and
   1-19              (2)  proof of current registration for the vehicle, in
   1-20  the form prescribed by the department, is carried in the vehicle.
   1-21        (c)  To be operated under the exception created by Subsection
   1-22  (b) of this section, the former military vehicle must display in a
   1-23  prominent location on the vehicle a registration mark prescribed by
   1-24  the department.  To the extent practical, the department shall
    2-1  allow use of a unique identification mark assigned that vehicle by
    2-2  the armed force in which the vehicle was used. If such a mark is
    2-3  not used, the department shall designate a registration mark
    2-4  consisting of at least four and not more than 10 numbers, letters,
    2-5  or numbers and letters in combination, at least two inches in
    2-6  height.  To the extent possible, the location and design of the
    2-7  registration mark under this subsection must conform to the
    2-8  vehicle's official military design and markings.
    2-9        SECTION 2.  Section 140, Uniform Act Regulating Traffic on
   2-10  Highways (Article 6701d, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended
   2-11  by adding Subsection (i) to read as follows:
   2-12        (i)  A former military vehicle, as defined by Section 8A,
   2-13  Chapter 3, Acts of the 43rd Legislature, 2nd Called Session, 1934
   2-14  (Article 6675a-3e, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is not required
   2-15  to display a certificate of inspection on the vehicle if proof that
   2-16  the former military vehicle has satisfied the inspection
   2-17  requirements of this article, in the form prescribed by the
   2-18  department, is carried in the vehicle.
   2-19        SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
   2-20        SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
   2-21  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   2-22  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   2-23  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   2-24  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.