By Shields, et al. H.B. No. 1743 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the registration and the transfer of motor vehicles 1-3 owned by certain persons on active duty in the armed forces of the 1-4 United States. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 502, Transportation Code, 1-7 is amended by adding Section 502.0025 to read as follows: 1-8 Sec. 502.0025. EFFECT OF CERTAIN MILITARY SERVICE ON 1-9 REGISTRATION REQUIREMENT. (a) This section applies only to a 1-10 motor vehicle that is owned by a person who: 1-11 (1) is a resident of this state; 1-12 (2) is on active duty in the armed forces of the 1-13 United States; 1-14 (3) is stationed in or has been assigned to another 1-15 nation under military orders; and 1-16 (4) has registered the vehicle or been issued a 1-17 license for the vehicle under the applicable status of forces 1-18 agreement by: 1-19 (A) the appropriate branch of the armed forces 1-20 of the United States; or 1-21 (B) the nation in which the person is stationed 1-22 or to which the person has been assigned. 1-23 (b) Unless the registration or license issued for a vehicle 1-24 described by Subsection (a) is suspended, canceled, or revoked by 2-1 this state as provided by law: 2-2 (1) Section 502.002(a) does not apply; and 2-3 (2) the registration or license issued by the armed 2-4 forces or host nation remains valid and the motor vehicle may be 2-5 operated in this state under that registration or license for a 2-6 period of not more than 90 days after the date on which the vehicle 2-7 returns to this state. 2-8 SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 520, Transportation Code, 2-9 is amended by adding Section 520.0225 to read as follows: 2-10 Sec. 520.0225. PERSONS ON ACTIVE DUTY IN ARMED FORCES OF 2-11 UNITED STATES. (a) This section applies only to a used motor 2-12 vehicle that is owned by a person who: 2-13 (1) is on active duty in the armed forces of the 2-14 United States; 2-15 (2) is stationed in or has been assigned to another 2-16 nation under military orders; and 2-17 (3) has registered the vehicle or been issued a 2-18 license for the vehicle under the applicable status of forces 2-19 agreement by: 2-20 (A) the appropriate branch of the armed forces 2-21 of the United States; or 2-22 (B) the nation in which the person is stationed 2-23 or to which the person has been assigned. 2-24 (b) The requirement in Section 520.021 that a used vehicle 2-25 be registered under the law of this state does not apply to a 2-26 vehicle described by Subsection (a). In lieu of delivering the 2-27 license receipt to the transferee of the vehicle, as required by 3-1 Section 520.022, the person selling, trading, or otherwise 3-2 transferring a used motor vehicle described by Subsection (a) shall 3-3 deliver to the transferee: 3-4 (1) a letter written on official letterhead by the 3-5 owner's unit commander attesting to the registration of the vehicle 3-6 under Subsection (a)(3); or 3-7 (2) the registration receipt issued by the appropriate 3-8 branch of the armed forces or host nation. 3-9 (c) A registration receipt issued by a host nation that is 3-10 not written in the English language must be accompanied by: 3-11 (1) a written translation of the registration receipt 3-12 in English; and 3-13 (2) an affidavit, in English and signed by the person 3-14 translating the registration receipt, attesting to the person's 3-15 ability to translate the registration receipt into English. 3-16 SECTION 3. Section 520.031(a), Transportation Code, is 3-17 amended to read as follows: 3-18 (a) Not later than the 20th working day after the date of 3-19 receiving the documents under Section 520.022 or 520.0225, the 3-20 transferee of the used motor vehicle shall file with the county 3-21 assessor-collector: 3-22 (1) the license receipt and the certificate of title 3-23 or other evidence of title; or 3-24 (2) if appropriate, a document described by Section 3-25 520.0225(b)(1) or (2) and the certificate of title or other 3-26 evidence of title. 3-27 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999. 4-1 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the 4-2 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 4-3 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 4-4 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 4-5 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.