Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.

      Line and page numbers may not match official copy.

      By Thompson                                     H.B. No. 2464

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to registration fees for vehicles fueled by alternative

 1-3     fuels.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter D, Chapter 502, Transportation Code,

 1-6     is amended by adding Section 502.1731 to read as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 502.1731.  OPTIONAL COUNTY FEE FOR ALTERNATIVE FUEL

 1-8     VEHICLES.  (a)  The commissioners court of any county may impose by

 1-9     order an additional fee of not more than $2.00 for registering a

1-10     motor vehicle in the county.

1-11           (b)  A vehicle that may be registered under this chapter

1-12     without payment of a registration fee may be registered in a county

1-13     imposing a fee under this section without payment of the additional

1-14     fee.

1-15           (c)  A fee imposed under this section may take effect only on

1-16     January 1 of a year.  The county must adopt the order and notify

1-17     the department not later than September 10 of the year preceding

1-18     the year in which the fee takes effect.

1-19           (d)  A fee imposed under this section may be removed.  The

1-20     removal may take effect only on January 1 of a year.  A county may

1-21     remove the fee only by:

1-22                 (1)  rescinding the order imposing the fee; and

1-23                 (2)  notifying the department not later than September

1-24     10 of the year preceding the year in which the removal takes

 2-1     effect.

 2-2           (e)  The county assessor-collector of a county imposing a fee

 2-3     under this section shall collect the additional fee for a vehicle

 2-4     when other fees  imposed under this chapter are collected.

 2-5           (f)  A county imposing a fee under this section may deduct

 2-6     for administrative costs an amount of not more than five percent of

 2-7     the revenue it receives from the fee.  After deducting

 2-8     administrative costs, a county may use revenue from a fee imposed

 2-9     under this section only for the purpose of providing competitive

2-10     grants to support the development of technology and infrastructure

2-11     related to the use of alternative fueled vehicles or for conversion

2-12     to or purchase of alternative fuel vehicles as defined by the

2-13     Energy Policy Act of 1992.

2-14           (g)  A county shall maintain revenue from a fee imposed under

2-15     this section in a separate fund to be administered by the

2-16     commissioners court.

2-17           (h)  The commissioners court shall adopt rules and develop

2-18     forms necessary to administer this section within 90 days of the

2-19     order imposing the fee authorized by this section.

2-20           SECTION 2.  EMERGENCY.  The importance of this legislation

2-21     and the crowded condition of the calendars of 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,

2-25     and that this Act take effect and be in force 30 days from and

2-26     after its passage, and it is so enacted.