By:  Madla                                   S.B. No. 1848

         97S0882/1                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

                                       AN ACT

 1-1     relating to optional county vehicle registration fees.

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

 1-3           SECTION 1.  Section 502.172.  Transportation Code, is amended

 1-4     by amending the section heading and Subsections (a) and (f) to read

 1-5     as follows:

 1-6           Sec. 502.172.  OPTIONAL COUNTY FEE FOR ROAD AND BRIDGE FUND

 1-7     AND FIRE PROTECTION FUND.  (a)  The commissioners court of a county

 1-8     by order may impose and additional fee not to exceed $20 [$10] for

 1-9     registering a vehicle in the county.  The additional fee imposed

1-10     under this section may include a fee not to exceed $10 for the

1-11     county road and bridge fund and a fee not to exceed $10 for the

1-12     county fire protection fund.  The commissioners court of a county

1-13     shall specify the amount of the additional fee that is to be

1-14     allocated to each such fund in its order imposing the fee.

1-15           (f)  The department shall collect the additional fee on a

1-16     vehicle that is owned by a resident of a county imposing a fee

1-17     under this section and that, under this chapter, must be registered

1-18     directly with the department.  The department shall send all fees

1-19     collected for a county under this subsection to the county

1-20     treasurer to be credited to the county road and bridge fund and the

1-21     county fire protection fund as provided for in the commissioners

1-22     court order imposing the additional fee.

1-23           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

 2-1           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

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

 2-3     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-4     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 2-5     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.