By Price H.B. No. 2053 74R6550 JD-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the identification of a motor vehicle that is issued 1-3 exempt license plates. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Section 3aa, Chapter 88, General Laws, Acts of 1-6 the 41st Legislature, 2nd Called Session, 1929 (Article 6675a-3aa, 1-7 Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended by adding Subsection (g) 1-8 to read as follows: 1-9 (g)(1) The Department is prohibited from issuing exempt 1-10 license plates for a vehicle that is owned by the United States, 1-11 this state, or a political subdivision of this state unless when 1-12 application is made for registration of the vehicle, the person who 1-13 under Section 3(c) of this Act has proper authority to certify to 1-14 the Department that the vehicle qualifies for registration under 1-15 that section also certifies in writing to the Department that there 1-16 is printed on each side of the vehicle, in letters that are at 1-17 least two inches high and of a color sufficiently different from 1-18 the body of the vehicle to be clearly legible from a distance of 1-19 100 feet, the name of the agency, department, bureau, board, 1-20 commission, or officer of the United States, this state, or 1-21 political subdivision of this state that has custody of the 1-22 vehicle. 1-23 (2) The Department is prohibited from issuing exempt 1-24 license plates for a vehicle that is owned by a person other than 2-1 the United States, this state, or a political subdivision of this 2-2 state unless when application is made for registration of the 2-3 vehicle, the person who under Section 3(c) of this Act has proper 2-4 authority to certify to the Department that the vehicle qualifies 2-5 for registration under that section also certifies in writing to 2-6 the Department that the name of the owner of the vehicle is printed 2-7 on the vehicle in the manner prescribed by Subdivision (1) of this 2-8 subsection. 2-9 (3)(A) A peace officer listed in Article 2.12, Code of 2-10 Criminal Procedure, may seize a motor vehicle displaying exempt 2-11 license plates if the vehicle is: 2-12 (i) operated on a public highway; and 2-13 (ii) not identified in the manner 2-14 prescribed by Subdivision (1) or (2) of this subsection. 2-15 (B) A peace officer who seizes a motor vehicle 2-16 under Subdivision (3)(A) of this subsection may require that the 2-17 vehicle be: 2-18 (i) moved to the nearest place of safety 2-19 off the main-traveled part of the highway; or 2-20 (ii) removed and placed in the nearest 2-21 vehicle storage facility designated or maintained by the law 2-22 enforcement agency that employs the peace officer. 2-23 (C) To obtain the release of the vehicle, in 2-24 addition to any other requirement of law, the owner of a vehicle 2-25 seized under Subdivision (3)(A) of this subsection must: 2-26 (i) remedy the defect by identifying the 2-27 vehicle as required by Subdivision (1) or (2) of this subsection; 3-1 or 3-2 (ii) agree in writing with the law 3-3 enforcement agency to provide evidence to that agency, before the 3-4 10th day after the date the vehicle is released, that the defect 3-5 has been remedied by identifying the vehicle as required by 3-6 Subdivision (1) or (2) of this subsection. 3-7 (4) Subdivisions (1) and (2) of this subsection do not 3-8 apply to a law enforcement vehicle to which Subsection (f) of this 3-9 section applies. 3-10 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995. 3-11 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 3-12 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 3-13 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-14 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-15 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.