1-1 By: Shields, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Truan) H.B. No. 1743 1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 11, 1999; 1-3 May 12, 1999, read first time and referred to Committee on Veteran 1-4 Affairs and Military Installations; May 13, 1999, reported 1-5 favorably by the following vote: Yeas 3, Nays 0; May 13, 1999, 1-6 sent to printer.) 1-7 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-8 AN ACT 1-9 relating to the registration and the transfer of motor vehicles 1-10 owned by certain persons on active duty in the armed forces of the 1-11 United States. 1-12 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-13 SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 502, Transportation Code, 1-14 is amended by adding Section 502.0025 to read as follows: 1-15 Sec. 502.0025. EFFECT OF CERTAIN MILITARY SERVICE ON 1-16 REGISTRATION REQUIREMENT. (a) This section applies only to a 1-17 motor vehicle that is owned by a person who: 1-18 (1) is a resident of this state; 1-19 (2) is on active duty in the armed forces of the 1-20 United States; 1-21 (3) is stationed in or has been assigned to another 1-22 nation under military orders; and 1-23 (4) has registered the vehicle or been issued a 1-24 license for the vehicle under the applicable status of forces 1-25 agreement by: 1-26 (A) the appropriate branch of the armed forces 1-27 of the United States; or 1-28 (B) the nation in which the person is stationed 1-29 or to which the person has been assigned. 1-30 (b) Unless the registration or license issued for a vehicle 1-31 described by Subsection (a) is suspended, canceled, or revoked by 1-32 this state as provided by law: 1-33 (1) Section 502.002(a) does not apply; and 1-34 (2) the registration or license issued by the armed 1-35 forces or host nation remains valid and the motor vehicle may be 1-36 operated in this state under that registration or license for a 1-37 period of not more than 90 days after the date on which the vehicle 1-38 returns to this state. 1-39 SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 520, Transportation Code, 1-40 is amended by adding Section 520.0225 to read as follows: 1-41 Sec. 520.0225. PERSONS ON ACTIVE DUTY IN ARMED FORCES OF 1-42 UNITED STATES. (a) This section applies only to a used motor 1-43 vehicle that is owned by a person who: 1-44 (1) is on active duty in the armed forces of the 1-45 United States; 1-46 (2) is stationed in or has been assigned to another 1-47 nation under military orders; and 1-48 (3) has registered the vehicle or been issued a 1-49 license for the vehicle under the applicable status of forces 1-50 agreement by: 1-51 (A) the appropriate branch of the armed forces 1-52 of the United States; or 1-53 (B) the nation in which the person is stationed 1-54 or to which the person has been assigned. 1-55 (b) The requirement in Section 520.021 that a used vehicle 1-56 be registered under the law of this state does not apply to a 1-57 vehicle described by Subsection (a). In lieu of delivering the 1-58 license receipt to the transferee of the vehicle, as required by 1-59 Section 520.022, the person selling, trading, or otherwise 1-60 transferring a used motor vehicle described by Subsection (a) shall 1-61 deliver to the transferee: 1-62 (1) a letter written on official letterhead by the 1-63 owner's unit commander attesting to the registration of the vehicle 1-64 under Subsection (a)(3); or 2-1 (2) the registration receipt issued by the appropriate 2-2 branch of the armed forces or host nation. 2-3 (c) A registration receipt issued by a host nation that is 2-4 not written in the English language must be accompanied by: 2-5 (1) a written translation of the registration receipt 2-6 in English; and 2-7 (2) an affidavit, in English and signed by the person 2-8 translating the registration receipt, attesting to the person's 2-9 ability to translate the registration receipt into English. 2-10 SECTION 3. Section 520.031(a), Transportation Code, is 2-11 amended to read as follows: 2-12 (a) Not later than the 20th working day after the date of 2-13 receiving the documents under Section 520.022 or 520.0225, the 2-14 transferee of the used motor vehicle shall file with the county 2-15 assessor-collector: 2-16 (1) the license receipt and the certificate of title 2-17 or other evidence of title; or 2-18 (2) if appropriate, a document described by Section 2-19 520.0225(b)(1) or (2) and the certificate of title or other 2-20 evidence of title. 2-21 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999. 2-22 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the 2-23 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-24 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-25 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-26 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended. 2-27 * * * * *