By Gutierrez H.B. No. 2530
75R6351 DRH-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the fee for a late registration of a motor vehicle.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Section 502.158(f), Transportation Code, is
1-5 amended to read as follows:
1-6 (f) An application for registration filed more than five
1-7 days [one month] after the expiration of the preceding registration
1-8 year must be accompanied by:
1-9 (1) proof in a form prescribed by the department [a
1-10 statement] that the vehicle has not been operated on a public
1-11 highway at any time after the expiration of the preceding
1-12 registration year; or
1-13 (2) a delinquent fee under Section 502.176.
1-14 SECTION 2. Section 502.176, Transportation Code, is amended
1-15 by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (c) to read as
1-16 follows:
1-17 (b) A county assessor-collector may not register a vehicle
1-18 for which payment of the registration fee is delinquent unless the
1-19 owner:
1-20 (1) provides the proof described by Section 502.158(f)
1-21 that the vehicle has not been operated on a public highway; or
1-22 (2) pays an additional charge equal to the greater of:
1-23 (A) 20 percent of the prescribed fee; or
1-24 (B) $5 for each full or partial calendar month
2-1 that elapses after the registration expires beginning with the
2-2 second month after the expiration.
2-3 (c) A fee collected under Subsection (b)(2) shall be:
2-4 (1) collected and reported in the manner provided by
2-5 Sections 502.102 and 502.105 if the county has implemented the
2-6 department's automated registration and title system; or
2-7 (2) sent to the comptroller for deposit to the credit
2-8 of the state highway fund if the county has not implemented the
2-9 department's automated registration and title system.
2-10 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997, and
2-11 applies only to a registration that expires on or after that date.
2-12 A registration that expired before the effective date of this Act
2-13 is subject to the law that existed at the time the registration
2-14 expired, and the former law is continued in effect for this
2-15 purpose.
2-16 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
2-17 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-18 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-19 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-20 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.