By Brimer                                             H.B. No. 1777
         Line and page numbers may not match official copy.
         Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to occupational regulations for vehicle storage facilities
 1-3     and tow truck motor carriers.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Section 643.054, Transportation Code, is amended
 1-6     by adding subsection (b) as follows:
 1-7           (a)  The department shall register a motor carrier under this
 1-8     subchapter if the carrier complies with Sections 643.052 and
 1-9     643.053.  The department may deny a registration if the applicant
1-10     has had a registration revoked under Section 643.252.
1-11           (b)  The department shall deny the registration of any tow
1-12     truck carrier who has or who employs another person to operate a
1-13     tow truck who has a criminal conviction involving theft or burglary
1-14     or a business, residence or automobile.
1-15           (c)  The department shall issue a certificate containing a
1-16     single registration number to a motor carrier, regardless of the
1-17     number of vehicles requiring registration the carrier operates.
1-18           (d)  To avoid multiple registrations of a single motor
1-19     carrier, the department shall adopt simplified procedures for the
1-20     registration of motor carriers transporting household goods as
1-21     agents for carriers required to register under this chapter.
1-22           SECTION 2. Section 7, Vehicle Storage Facility Act, (Article
 2-1     Art. 6687-9a Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended to read as
 2-2     follows:
 2-3           Sec. 7. The department shall approve an application that is
 2-4     submitted as provided by Section 6 of this article for a license to
 2-5     operate a vehicle storage facility unless the department determines
 2-6     that:
 2-7                 (1)  the applicant knowingly supplied false or
 2-8     incomplete information on the application;
 2-9                 (2)  the applicant, one of the applicant's partners, a
2-10     principal or the general manager of the applicant, or one of the
2-11     applicant's officers, or any person employed by the vehicle storage
2-12     facility has been convicted of a felony, or a misdemeanor for which
2-13     the maximum punishment is by confinement in jail or by a fine
2-14     exceeding $500, in the [three] 10 years preceding the date of the
2-15     application; or
2-16                 (3)  the vehicle storage facility for which the license
2-17     is sought does not meet the standards for storage facilities
2-18     established by the rules of the commission.
2-19           SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.