By: Lucio S.B. No. 1516
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the issuance of certain special license plates by the
1-3 Texas Department of Transportation.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 502, Transportation Code,
1-6 is amended by adding Section 502.2521 to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 502.2521. COUNTY ADMINISTRATION OF RENEWALS.
1-8 (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, renewals
1-9 of registrations under this subchapter shall be administered by the
1-10 county assessor-collector of the county in which the vehicle is
1-11 registered or in which the owner of the vehicle resides.
1-12 (b) The department shall:
1-13 (1) modify its processes to generate consolidated
1-14 renewal notices; and
1-15 (2) update the automated registration and title system
1-16 to process renewal transactions under this subchapter and
1-17 appropriately account for the renewal fees.
1-18 SECTION 2. Section 502.254, Transportation Code, is amended
1-19 by amending Subsections (d) and (g), redesignating existing
1-20 Subsection (i) as Subsection (j), and adding a new Subsection (i)
1-21 to read as follows:
1-22 (d) An application for registration under this section must
1-23 be on a form provided by the department and be accompanied by the
1-24 fee prescribed by Subsection (g) and evidence required by the
1-25 department that the applicant may register under this section. An
2-1 application for renewal of a registration under this section is not
2-2 required to be accompanied by evidence that the applicant continues
2-3 to be eligible to register under this section.
2-4 (g) There is no fee for issuance or renewal of the first set
2-5 of license plates under this section. The fee for issuance or
2-6 renewal of each additional set of license plates under this section
2-7 is[:]
2-8 [(1) $3 for the first set of license plates; and]
2-9 [(2)] the applicable annual fee prescribed by Section
2-10 502.161 [for each additional set of license plates].
2-11 (i) A person who registers one or more vehicles under this
2-12 section is entitled to only one exemption from the fee under
2-13 Section 502.161.
2-14 (j) The department may adopt rules to administer this
2-15 section.
2-16 SECTION 3. Section 502.2555, Transportation Code, is amended
2-17 by amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (h) to read as
2-18 follows:
2-19 (c) The department shall issue license plates under this
2-20 section to a person who:
2-21 (1) applies to the department on a form prescribed by
2-22 the department;
2-23 (2) [pays an annual fee of $3;]
2-24 [(3)] submits proof that the person has been awarded
2-25 the Air Force Cross or Distinguished Service Cross, the Army
2-26 Distinguished Service Cross, the Navy Cross, or the Medal of Honor;
3-1 and
3-2 (3) [(4)] submits proof that the person is:
3-3 (A) an honorably discharged veteran of the
3-4 United States armed forces; or
3-5 (B) a member of the United States armed forces
3-6 on active duty.
3-7 (h) An application for renewal of a registration under this
3-8 section is not required to be accompanied by the proof required by
3-9 Subsection (c)(2) or (3). There is no fee for the renewal of a
3-10 registration under this section.
3-11 SECTION 4. Subsection (d), Section 502.257, Transportation
3-12 Code, is amended to read as follows:
3-13 (d) An application for renewal of a registration under this
3-14 section is not required to be accompanied by the proof of
3-15 eligibility required by Subsection (c). There is no fee for the
3-16 renewal of a registration under this section. [The fee for
3-17 issuance of license plates under this section is $3.]
3-18 SECTION 5. Section 502.259, Transportation Code, is amended
3-19 by amending Subsections (c) and (e) and adding Subsection (g) to
3-20 read as follows:
3-21 (c) The department shall issue license plates under this
3-22 section to a person who:
3-23 (1) applies to the department on a form prescribed by
3-24 the department;
3-25 (2) pays the [an] annual fee prescribed by Subsection
3-26 (e) [of:]
4-1 [(A) $3 for the first set of license plates
4-2 issued under this section; and]
4-3 [(B) $15 for each additional set of license
4-4 plates issued under this section]; and
4-5 (3) submits proof that the person:
4-6 (A) served in the United States armed forces;
4-7 (B) was stationed in the Hawaiian Islands on
4-8 December 7, 1941; and
4-9 (C) survived the attack on Pearl Harbor on
4-10 December 7, 1941.
4-11 (e) There is no fee for issuance or renewal of the first set
4-12 of license plates under this section. The fee for issuance or
4-13 renewal of each additional set of license plates under this section
4-14 is the applicable annual fee prescribed by Section 502.161. A
4-15 person who registers one or more vehicles under this section is
4-16 entitled to only one exemption from the fee under Section 502.161.
4-17 (g) An application for renewal of a registration under this
4-18 section is not required to be accompanied by the proof required by
4-19 Subsection (c)(3).
4-20 SECTION 6. Section 502.260, Transportation Code, is amended
4-21 by amending Subsections (c) and (e) and adding Subsection (g) to
4-22 read as follows:
4-23 (c) The department shall issue license plates under this
4-24 section to a person who:
4-25 (1) applies to the department on a form prescribed by
4-26 the department;
5-1 (2) pays the [an] annual fee prescribed by Subsection
5-2 (e) [of:]
5-3 [(A) $3 for the first set of license plates
5-4 issued under this section; and]
5-5 [(B) $15 for each additional set of license
5-6 plates issued under this section]; and
5-7 (3) submits proof that the person has been awarded the
5-8 Purple Heart and is:
5-9 (A) an honorably discharged veteran of the
5-10 United States armed forces;
5-11 (B) a member of the United States armed forces
5-12 on active duty; or
5-13 (C) a civilian national of the United States who
5-14 is an employee or a former employee of a branch of the United
5-15 States armed forces.
5-16 (e) There is no fee for issuance or renewal of the first set
5-17 of license plates under this section. The fee for issuance or
5-18 renewal of each additional set of license plates under this section
5-19 is the applicable annual fee prescribed by Section 502.161. A
5-20 person who registers one or more vehicles under this section is
5-21 entitled to only one exemption from the fee under Section 502.161.
5-22 (g) An application for renewal of a registration under this
5-23 section is not required to be accompanied by the proof required by
5-24 Subsection (c)(3).
5-25 SECTION 7. Subsections (e), (f), and (g), Section 502.295,
5-26 Transportation Code, are amended to read as follows:
6-1 (e) On payment of the prescribed fee, the department shall
6-2 issue to a state official a set of license plates or a device that,
6-3 when attached to the vehicle as prescribed by the department, is
6-4 the registration insignia for the period for which it was issued,
6-5 except as provided by Subsections (g) and (h). [A registration
6-6 under this section is for a registration period of 12 consecutive
6-7 months or until March 31, whichever period is shorter.]
6-8 (f) On application and payment of the prescribed fee for a
6-9 renewal of the registration of a vehicle under this section, the
6-10 department shall issue a registration insignia for the validation
6-11 of the license plates to be attached as provided by Section
6-12 502.180(d).
6-13 (g) Registration under this section expires when the owner
6-14 of the vehicle for which the special plates were issued ceases to
6-15 be a state official. The state official shall return the special
6-16 license plates to the department.
6-17 (h) If the owner of a vehicle registered under this section
6-18 disposes of the vehicle during the registration period, the owner
6-19 shall surrender the special license plates to the department.
6-20 (i) [(g)] In this section, "state official" means:
6-21 (1) a member of the legislature;
6-22 (2) the governor;
6-23 (3) the lieutenant governor;
6-24 (4) a justice of the supreme court;
6-25 (5) a judge of the court of criminal appeals;
6-26 (6) the attorney general;
7-1 (7) the Commissioner of the General Land Office;
7-2 (8) the comptroller;
7-3 (9) a member of the Railroad Commission of Texas;
7-4 (10) the commissioner of agriculture;
7-5 (11) the secretary of state; or
7-6 (12) a member of the State Board of Education.
7-7 SECTION 8. Subsections (e) through (i), Section 502.2951,
7-8 Transportation Code, are amended to read as follows:
7-9 (e) On payment of the prescribed fee, the department shall
7-10 issue to a county judge a set of license plates or a device that,
7-11 when attached to the vehicle as prescribed by the department, is
7-12 the registration insignia for the period for which it was issued,
7-13 except as provided by Subsections (g) and (h). [Registration under
7-14 this section is valid for one year and expires in the same manner
7-15 as do regular motor vehicle registrations, except as provided by
7-16 Subsection (f).]
7-17 (f) On application and payment of the prescribed fee for a
7-18 renewal of the registration of a vehicle under this section, the
7-19 department shall issue a registration insignia for the validation
7-20 of the license plates to be attached as provided by Section
7-21 502.180(d).
7-22 (g) Registration under this section expires when the owner
7-23 of the vehicle for which the special plates were issued ceases to
7-24 be a county judge. The judge shall return the special license
7-25 plates to the department.
7-26 (h) [(g)] If the owner of a vehicle for which plates are
8-1 issued under this section disposes of the vehicle during a
8-2 registration year, the person shall return the special plates to
8-3 the department, and at that time may apply for issuance of those
8-4 plates to another vehicle.
8-5 (i) [(h)] If license plates issued under this section are
8-6 lost, stolen, or mutilated, the owner of the vehicle for which the
8-7 plates were issued may obtain replacement plates from the
8-8 department by paying a replacement fee of $5.
8-9 (j) [(i)] In this section, "county judge" means the judge of
8-10 the county court established by Section 15, Article V, Texas
8-11 Constitution.
8-12 SECTION 9. Subsections (e) and (f), Section 502.296,
8-13 Transportation Code, are amended to read as follows:
8-14 (e) On payment of the prescribed fee, the department shall
8-15 issue to a member of congress a set of license plates or a device
8-16 that, when attached to the vehicle as prescribed by the department,
8-17 is the registration insignia for the period for which it was
8-18 issued, except as provided by Subsections (g) and (h). [A
8-19 registration under this section is for a registration period of 12
8-20 consecutive months or until March 31, whichever period is shorter.]
8-21 (f) On application and payment of the prescribed fee for a
8-22 renewal of the registration of a vehicle under this section, the
8-23 department shall issue a registration insignia for the validation
8-24 of the license plates to be attached as provided by Section
8-25 502.180(d).
8-26 (g) Registration under this section expires when the owner
9-1 of the vehicle for which the special plates were issued ceases to
9-2 be a member of congress. The member of congress shall return the
9-3 special license plates to the department.
9-4 (h) If the owner of a vehicle registered under this section
9-5 disposes of the vehicle during the registration period, the owner
9-6 shall surrender the special license plates to the department.
9-7 SECTION 10. Subsections (e), (f), and (g), Section 502.297,
9-8 Transportation Code, are amended to read as follows:
9-9 (e) A registration under this section issued to a federal
9-10 judge is for a registration period of 12 consecutive months or
9-11 until March 31, whichever period is shorter.
9-12 (f) On payment of the prescribed fee, the department shall
9-13 issue to a state judge a set of license plates or a device that,
9-14 when attached to the vehicle as prescribed by the department, is
9-15 the registration insignia for the period for which it was issued,
9-16 except as provided by Subsections (h) and (i).
9-17 (g) On application and payment of the prescribed fee for a
9-18 renewal of the registration of a vehicle under this section, the
9-19 department shall issue a registration insignia for the validation
9-20 of the license plates to be attached as provided by Section
9-21 502.180(d).
9-22 (h) Registration under this section expires when the owner
9-23 of the vehicle for which the special plates were issued ceases to
9-24 be a state or federal judge. The judge shall return the special
9-25 license plates to the department.
9-26 (i) If the owner of a vehicle registered under this section
10-1 disposes of the vehicle during the registration period, the owner
10-2 shall surrender the special license plates to the department.
10-3 (j) [(g)] In this section:
10-4 (1) "Federal judge" means:
10-5 (A) a judge of the Fifth Circuit Court of
10-6 Appeals;
10-7 (B) a judge or a magistrate of a United States
10-8 district court; or
10-9 (C) a judge of a United States bankruptcy court.
10-10 (2) "State judge" means:
10-11 (A) a judge of a court of appeals;
10-12 (B) a district court judge;
10-13 (C) a presiding judge of an administrative
10-14 judicial district; or
10-15 (D) a statutory county court judge.
10-16 SECTION 11. Subsection (d), Section 502.2555, Subsection
10-17 (d), Section 502.259, and Subsection (d), Section 502.260,
10-18 Transportation Code, are repealed.
10-19 SECTION 12. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001. The
10-20 change in law made by this Act applies only to an initial
10-21 registration of a motor vehicle or the renewal of a registration
10-22 that is applied for on or after the effective date of this Act. An
10-23 application for initial registration of a motor vehicle or a
10-24 renewal of a registration that is applied for before the effective
10-25 date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the
10-26 application was filed, and the former law is continued in effect
11-1 for that purpose.
11-2 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1
11-3 Amend SB 1516 by adding HB 2110, HB 2177 and HB 3008 from the
11-4 77th Legislative Session to the bill.
11-5 Pickett