By Madden                                              H.B. No. 832
         77R3590 JAT-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to creating an advisory committee to assist the Department
 1-3     of Public Safety in the certification of motor vehicle inspection
 1-4     stations and inspectors.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 548, Transportation Code,
 1-7     is amended by adding Section 548.006 to read as follows:
 1-8           Sec. 548.006.  ADVISORY COMMITTEE.  (a)  An advisory
 1-9     committee consisting of nine members shall:
1-10                 (1)  advise the department on the department's rules
1-11     relating to the certification of inspection stations and inspectors
1-12     under this chapter;
1-13                 (2)  make recommendations to the department relating to
1-14     the content of those rules; and
1-15                 (3)  perform any other function requested by the
1-16     department in administering this chapter.
1-17           (b)  Each commissioner shall appoint three members of the
1-18     committee as follows:
1-19                 (1)  one person to represent inspection station owners
1-20     and operators;
1-21                 (2)  one person to represent manufacturers of motor
1-22     vehicle emissions inspection devices; and
1-23                 (3)  one person to represent the public interest.
1-24           (c)  Committee members serve staggered three-year terms.
 2-1           (d)  A vacancy on the committee is filled in the same manner
 2-2     as other appointments to the committee.
 2-3           (e)  A member of the committee is not entitled to
 2-4     compensation, but is entitled to reimbursement of the member's
 2-5     travel expenses as provided in the General Appropriations Act for
 2-6     state employees.
 2-7           (f)  The committee may elect a presiding officer, assistant
 2-8     presiding officer, and secretary from among its members and may
 2-9     adopt rules for the conduct of its own activities.
2-10           (g)  The committee is entitled to review and comment on rules
2-11     to be considered for adoption by the commission or the department
2-12     under Subchapter F or G before the rules are proposed.
2-13           SECTION 2.  The public safety commissioners shall appoint the
2-14     initial members of the advisory committee established under Section
2-15     548.006, Transportation Code, as added by this Act, not later than
2-16     January 1, 2002.  The initial members of the committee shall be
2-17     appointed for staggered terms as follows:
2-18                 (1)  one member from each category under Section
2-19     548.006(b), Transportation Code, serves a one-year term;
2-20                 (2)  one member from each category under Section
2-21     548.006(b), Transportation Code, serves a two-year term; and
2-22                 (3)  one member from each category under Section
2-23     548.006(b), Transportation Code, serves a three-year term.
2-24           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.