SRC-JEC S.B. 299 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterS.B. 299
77R3966 DWS-DBy: Barrientos
Intergovernmental Relations
3/6/2001
Committee Report (Amended)


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, the owner of a commercial vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer used
by a nonprofit disaster relief organization, such as the Red Cross, may be
exempt from vehicle registration fees.  To gain the benefit of the
exemption, an applicant must provide a statement by the county sheriff that
the vehicle has not been used for any purpose other than emergencies.
Because a sheriff may not have personal knowledge concerning a vehicle,
this provision can be an unnecessary administrative burden.  S.B. 299
eliminates the requirement that the statement be made by the county sheriff
and requires the statement to be made by an officer of the disaster relief
organization. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a
state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 502.203(b), Transportation Code, to require an
application for registration under this section to include a statement by
the owner of the vehicle that the vehicle has not been used for any purpose
other than emergencies.  Requires the application to also include a
statement signed by an officer of the nonprofit disaster relief
organization that the vehicle has not been used for any purpose other than
emergencies and qualifies for registration under this section.  Deletes the
requirement that the application include a statement by the county sheriff
that the vehicle was never used for any purpose other than emergencies. 

SECTION 2.   Effective date: September 1, 2001.
  Makes application of this Act prospective.

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES

Differs from the original by adding the requirement that the application
include a statement signed by an officer of the disaster relief
organization.