1-1     By:  Lindsay                                          S.B. No. 1170

 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed March 11, 1997; March 17, 1997, read

 1-3     first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs;

 1-4     April 10, 1997, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 13,

 1-5     Nays 0; April 10, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-7                                   AN ACT

 1-8     relating to the initial inspection period for certain vehicles.

 1-9           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-10           SECTION 1.  Section 548.102, Transportation Code, is amended

1-11     to read as follows:

1-12           Sec. 548.102.  [TWO-YEAR] INITIAL INSPECTION PERIOD FOR

1-13     PASSENGER CAR OR LIGHT TRUCK.  (a)  The initial inspection period

1-14     is three [two] years for a passenger car or light truck that:

1-15                 (1)  is sold in this state;

1-16                 (2)  has not been previously registered in this or

1-17     another state; and

1-18                 (3)  on the date of sale is of the current or preceding

1-19     model year.

1-20           (b)  This section does not affect a requirement that a motor

1-21     vehicle emission inspection be conducted during an initial

1-22     inspection period in a county covered by an inspection and

1-23     maintenance program approved by the United States Environmental

1-24     Protection Agency under Section 548.301 and the Clean Air Act (42

1-25     U.S.C. Section 7401 et seq.).

1-26           SECTION 2.  Section 548.503, Transportation Code, is amended

1-27     to read as follows:

1-28           Sec. 548.503.  INITIAL [TWO-YEAR] INSPECTION OF PASSENGER CAR

1-29     OR LIGHT TRUCK.  (a)  The fee for inspection of a passenger car or

1-30     light truck under Section 548.102 is $25.25 [$19.75].

1-31           (b)  The department shall require an inspection station to

1-32     make an advance payment of $20.25 [$14.75] for a certificate to be

1-33     issued under this section.  Additional payment may not be required

1-34     of the station for the certificate.  The inspection station may

1-35     waive the fee due from the owner of the vehicle inspected.  A

1-36     refund for an unissued certificate shall be made in the same manner

1-37     as provided for other certificate refunds.

1-38           SECTION 3.  The change in law made by this Act applies only

1-39     to a vehicle initially inspected on or after the effective date of

1-40     this Act.  A  vehicle initially inspected before the effective date

1-41     of this Act is governed by the law in effect when the vehicle was

1-42     initially inspected, and the former law is continued in effect for

1-43     that purpose.

1-44           SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-45           SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-46     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-47     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-48     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-49     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

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