By Pickett                                            H.B. No. 2004
         76R7564 DRH-F                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to authorizing the Texas Department of Transportation to
 1-3     lease equipment to counties for the automated motor vehicle
 1-4     registration and title system.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 520, Transportation Code,
 1-7     is amended by adding Section 520.002 to read as follows:
 1-8           Sec. 520.002.  LEASE OF COMPUTER EQUIPMENT.  (a)  On the
 1-9     request of the tax assessor-collector of a county, the department
1-10     may enter into an agreement with that county under which the
1-11     department leases equipment to the county for the use of the tax
1-12     assessor-collector in operating the automated registration and
1-13     title system in that county.
1-14           (b)  A county may install equipment leased under this section
1-15     at offices of the county or of an agent of the county.
1-16           (c)  Equipment leased under this section:
1-17                 (1)  remains the property of the department; and
1-18                 (2)  must be used primarily for the automated
1-19     registration and title system.
1-20           (d)  Under the agreement, the department shall  charge the
1-21     county an amount not less than the amount of the cost to the
1-22     department to provide the equipment and any related services under
1-23     the lease.  All money collected under the lease shall be deposited
1-24     to the credit of the state highway fund.
 2-1           SECTION 2.  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,
 2-6     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
 2-7     passage, and it is so enacted.