HBA-NIK S.B. 432 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 432 By: Ratliff Transportation 5/14/1999 Engrossed BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, Texas law requires the annual registration renewal date for the owner of a motor vehicle to start the month the vehicle was first registered and titled with the county tax assessor collector. If someone owns more than one vehicle or a trailer, the registration renewal dates for each of these vehicles could fall on different months throughout the year. S.B. 432 authorizes the owner of a motor vehicle or trailer to designate an initial or a renewal registration period for that vehicle so that the registration period for the vehicle or trailer expires on the same date as the registration period for another vehicle or trailer previously registered by that owner. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter D, Chapter 502, Transportation Code, by adding Section 502.1585, as follows: Sec. 502.1585. DESIGNATION OF REGISTRATION PERIOD BY OWNER. (a) Provides that this section applies only to a person who owns more than one motor vehicle or trailer that is subject to registration under this chapter (Registration of Vehicles). (b) Authorizes the owner of a motor vehicle or a trailer, notwithstanding Section 502.158 (Registration Year), to designate an initial or a renewal registration period for that vehicle so that the registration period for the vehicle or trailer expires on the same date as the registration period for another vehicle or trailer previously registered by that owner. (c) Provides that the registration period designated under this section must begin on the first day of a calendar month and end on the last day of a calendar month. Prohibits such registration period from being for less than 12 months. (d) Provides that the registration fee for a registration period designated under this section is computed at a rate of one-twelfth the annual registration fee multiplied by the number of months in the designated registration period. (e) Requires the Texas Department of Transportation to issue an applicant for registration who pays registration fees for a designated period under this section a registration receipt and registration insignia that are valid until the expiration of the designated period. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 3. Emergency clause.