By:  Lindsay                                          S.B. No. 1170

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

                                       AN ACT

 1-1     relating to the initial inspection period for certain vehicles.

 1-2           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-3           SECTION 1.  Section 548.102, Transportation Code, is amended

 1-4     to read as follows:

 1-5           Sec. 548.102.  [TWO-YEAR] INITIAL INSPECTION PERIOD FOR

 1-6     PASSENGER CAR OR LIGHT TRUCK.  (a)  The initial inspection period

 1-7     is three [two] years for a passenger car or light truck that:

 1-8                 (1)  is sold in this state;

 1-9                 (2)  has not been previously registered in this or

1-10     another state; and

1-11                 (3)  on the date of sale is of the current or preceding

1-12     model year.

1-13           (b)  This section does not affect a requirement that a motor

1-14     vehicle emission inspection be conducted during an initial

1-15     inspection period in a county covered by an inspection and

1-16     maintenance program approved by the United States Environmental

1-17     Protection Agency under Section 548.301 and the Clean Air Act (42

1-18     U.S.C. Section 7401 et seq.).

1-19           SECTION 2.  Section 548.503, Transportation Code, is amended

1-20     to read as follows:

1-21           Sec. 548.503.  INITIAL [TWO-YEAR] INSPECTION OF PASSENGER CAR

1-22     OR LIGHT TRUCK.  (a)  The fee for inspection of a passenger car or

1-23     light truck under Section 548.102 is $25.25 [$19.75].

 2-1           (b)  The department shall require an inspection station to

 2-2     make an advance payment of $20.25 [$14.75] for a certificate to be

 2-3     issued under this section.  Additional payment may not be required

 2-4     of the station for the certificate.  The inspection station may

 2-5     waive the fee due from the owner of the vehicle inspected.  A

 2-6     refund for an unissued certificate shall be made in the same manner

 2-7     as provided for other certificate refunds.

 2-8           SECTION 3.  The change in law made by this Act applies only

 2-9     to a vehicle initially inspected on or after the effective date of

2-10     this Act.  A  vehicle initially inspected before the effective date

2-11     of this Act is governed by the law in effect when the vehicle was

2-12     initially inspected, and the former law is continued in effect for

2-13     that purpose.

2-14           SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

2-15           SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the

2-16     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-17     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-18     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-19     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.