1-1 By: Gutierrez (Senate Sponsor - Wentworth) H.B. No. 2794 1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House April 26, 1999; 1-3 April 27, 1999, read first time and referred to Committee on State 1-4 Affairs; May 14, 1999, reported favorably by the following vote: 1-5 Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 14, 1999, sent to printer.) 1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-7 AN ACT 1-8 relating to the automation of the compulsory motor vehicle 1-9 inspection system. 1-10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-11 SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 548, Transportation Code, 1-12 is amended by adding Section 548.006 to read as follows: 1-13 Sec. 548.006. AUTOMATION OF INSPECTION PROCEDURES. (a) The 1-14 department shall develop and administer procedures to automate the 1-15 compulsory motor vehicle inspection system under this chapter. 1-16 (b) As a condition of certifying a location as an inspection 1-17 station under this chapter, the department may require the 1-18 applicant to participate in the automated inspection system. 1-19 (c) The automated inspection system developed by the 1-20 department must include password security protection for each 1-21 inspector who accesses the system. As a condition of certifying a 1-22 person as an inspector under this chapter, the department may 1-23 require the applicant to agree that: 1-24 (1) the person's automated password is equivalent, for 1-25 inspection purposes, to the person's written signature; and 1-26 (2) on certification and for all purposes, the person 1-27 is legally responsible for any inspection performed under the 1-28 person's automated password. 1-29 SECTION 2. Subchapter H, Chapter 548, Transportation Code, 1-30 is amended by adding Section 548.508 to read as follows: 1-31 Sec. 548.508. FEES FOR AUTOMATED INSPECTION SYSTEM. (a) On 1-32 implementation of the automated inspection system under Section 1-33 548.006: 1-34 (1) in addition to each fee authorized by this 1-35 subchapter, for each safety inspection certificate sold to an 1-36 inspection station participating in the automated system, the 1-37 department may impose an additional fee not to exceed $2; and 1-38 (2) in addition to the fees authorized by Sections 1-39 548.501, 548.503, and 548.504, for each inspection performed under 1-40 this chapter, an inspection station participating in the automated 1-41 system may impose an additional fee not to exceed $2. 1-42 (b) The department may use fees collected under Subsection 1-43 (a)(1) only for the development and administration of the automated 1-44 inspection system under Section 548.006. 1-45 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999. 1-46 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 1-47 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-48 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-49 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-50 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended. 1-51 * * * * *