By Lucio S.B. No. 1516
77R6661 JD-D
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, is
1-6 amended by adding Section 502.2521 to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 502.2521. COUNTY ADMINISTRATION OF RENEWALS. (a)
1-8 Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, renewals of
1-9 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. Sections 502.254(d) and (g), Transportation Code,
1-19 are amended to read as follows:
1-20 (d) An application for initial registration under this
1-21 section must be on a form provided by the department and be
1-22 accompanied by the fee prescribed by Subsection (g) and evidence
1-23 required by the department that the applicant may register under
1-24 this section. An application for renewal of a registration under
2-1 this section is not required to be accompanied by evidence that the
2-2 applicant continues to be eligible to register under this section.
2-3 (g) The fee for issuance of license plates under this
2-4 section is[:]
2-5 [(1) $3 for the first set of license plates; and]
2-6 [(2)] the applicable annual fee prescribed by Section
2-7 502.161 for each [additional] set of license plates.
2-8 SECTION 3. Section 502.2555, Transportation Code, is amended
2-9 by amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (h) to read as
2-10 follows:
2-11 (c) The department shall issue license plates under this
2-12 section to a person who:
2-13 (1) applies to the department on a form prescribed by
2-14 the department;
2-15 (2) [pays an annual fee of $3;]
2-16 [(3)] submits proof that the person has been awarded
2-17 the Air Force Cross or Distinguished Service Cross, the Army
2-18 Distinguished Service Cross, the Navy Cross, or the Medal of Honor;
2-19 and
2-20 (3) [(4)] submits proof that the person is:
2-21 (A) an honorably discharged veteran of the
2-22 United States armed forces; or
2-23 (B) a member of the United States armed forces
2-24 on active duty.
2-25 (h) An application for renewal of a registration under this
2-26 section is not required to be accompanied by the proof required by
2-27 Subsection (c)(2) or (3).
3-1 SECTION 4. Section 502.257(d), Transportation Code, is
3-2 amended to read as follows:
3-3 (d) An application for renewal of a registration under this
3-4 section is not required to be accompanied by the proof of
3-5 eligibility required by Subsection (c). [The fee for issuance of
3-6 license plates under this section is $3.]
3-7 SECTION 5. Section 502.259, Transportation Code, is amended
3-8 by amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (g) to read as
3-9 follows:
3-10 (c) The department shall issue license plates under this
3-11 section to a person who:
3-12 (1) applies to the department on a form prescribed by
3-13 the department; and
3-14 (2) [pays an annual fee of:]
3-15 [(A) $3 for the first set of license plates
3-16 issued under this section; and]
3-17 [(B) $15 for each additional set of license
3-18 plates issued under this section; and]
3-19 [(3)] submits proof that the person:
3-20 (A) served in the United States armed forces;
3-21 (B) was stationed in the Hawaiian Islands on
3-22 December 7, 1941; and
3-23 (C) survived the attack on Pearl Harbor on
3-24 December 7, 1941.
3-25 (g) An application for renewal of a registration under this
3-26 section is not required to be accompanied by the proof required by
3-27 Subsection (c)(2).
4-1 SECTION 6. Section 502.260, Transportation Code, is amended
4-2 by amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (g) to read as
4-3 follows:
4-4 (c) The department shall issue license plates under this
4-5 section to a person who:
4-6 (1) applies to the department on a form prescribed by
4-7 the department; and
4-8 (2) [pays an annual fee of:]
4-9 [(A) $3 for the first set of license plates
4-10 issued under this section; and]
4-11 [(B) $15 for each additional set of license
4-12 plates issued under this section; and]
4-13 [(3)] submits proof that the person has been awarded
4-14 the Purple Heart and is:
4-15 (A) an honorably discharged veteran of the
4-16 United States armed forces;
4-17 (B) a member of the United States armed forces
4-18 on active duty; or
4-19 (C) a civilian national of the United States who
4-20 is an employee or a former employee of a branch of the United
4-21 States armed forces.
4-22 (g) An application for renewal of a registration under this
4-23 section is not required to be accompanied by the proof required by
4-24 Subsection (c)(2).
4-25 SECTION 7. Sections 502.295(e), (f), and (g), Transportation
4-26 Code, are amended to read as follows:
4-27 (e) On payment of the prescribed fee, the department shall
5-1 issue to a state official a set of license plates or a device that,
5-2 when attached to the vehicle as prescribed by the department, is
5-3 the registration insignia for the period for which it was issued,
5-4 except as provided by Subsections (g) and (h). [A registration
5-5 under this section is for a registration period of 12 consecutive
5-6 months or until March 31, whichever period is shorter.]
5-7 (f) On application and payment of the prescribed fee for a
5-8 renewal of the registration of a vehicle under this section, the
5-9 department shall issue a registration insignia for the validation
5-10 of the license plates to be attached as provided by Section
5-11 502.180(d).
5-12 (g) Registration under this section expires when the owner
5-13 of the vehicle for which the special plates were issued ceases to
5-14 be a state official. The state official shall return the special
5-15 license plates to the department.
5-16 (h) If the owner of a vehicle registered under this section
5-17 disposes of the vehicle during the registration period, the owner
5-18 shall surrender the special license plates to the department.
5-19 (i) [(g)] In this section, "state official" means:
5-20 (1) a member of the legislature;
5-21 (2) the governor;
5-22 (3) the lieutenant governor;
5-23 (4) a justice of the supreme court;
5-24 (5) a judge of the court of criminal appeals;
5-25 (6) the attorney general;
5-26 (7) the Commissioner of the General Land Office;
5-27 (8) the comptroller;
6-1 (9) a member of the Railroad Commission of Texas;
6-2 (10) the commissioner of agriculture;
6-3 (11) the secretary of state; or
6-4 (12) a member of the State Board of Education.
6-5 SECTION 8. Sections 502.2951(e)-(i), Transportation Code, are
6-6 amended to read as follows:
6-7 (e) On payment of the prescribed fee, the department shall
6-8 issue to a county judge a set of license plates or a device that,
6-9 when attached to the vehicle as prescribed by the department, is
6-10 the registration insignia for the period for which it was issued,
6-11 except as provided by Subsections (g) and (h). [Registration under
6-12 this section is valid for one year and expires in the same manner
6-13 as do regular motor vehicle registrations, except as provided by
6-14 Subsection (f).]
6-15 (f) On application and payment of the prescribed fee for a
6-16 renewal of the registration of a vehicle under this section, the
6-17 department shall issue a registration insignia for the validation
6-18 of the license plates to be attached as provided by Section
6-19 502.180(d).
6-20 (g) Registration under this section expires when the owner
6-21 of the vehicle for which the special plates were issued ceases to
6-22 be a county judge. The judge shall return the special license
6-23 plates to the department.
6-24 (h) [(g)] If the owner of a vehicle for which plates are
6-25 issued under this section disposes of the vehicle during a
6-26 registration year, the person shall return the special plates to
6-27 the department, and at that time may apply for issuance of those
7-1 plates to another vehicle.
7-2 (i) [(h)] If license plates issued under this section are
7-3 lost, stolen, or mutilated, the owner of the vehicle for which the
7-4 plates were issued may obtain replacement plates from the
7-5 department by paying a replacement fee of $5.
7-6 (j) [(i)] In this section, "county judge" means the judge of
7-7 the county court established by Section 15, Article V, Texas
7-8 Constitution.
7-9 SECTION 9. Sections 502.296(e) and (f), Transportation Code,
7-10 are amended to read as follows:
7-11 (e) On payment of the prescribed fee, the department shall
7-12 issue to a member of congress a set of license plates or a device
7-13 that, when attached to the vehicle as prescribed by the department,
7-14 is the registration insignia for the period for which it was
7-15 issued, except as provided by Subsections (g) and (h). [A
7-16 registration under this section is for a registration period of 12
7-17 consecutive months or until March 31, whichever period is shorter.]
7-18 (f) On application and payment of the prescribed fee for a
7-19 renewal of the registration of a vehicle under this section, the
7-20 department shall issue a registration insignia for the validation
7-21 of the license plates to be attached as provided by Section
7-22 502.180(d).
7-23 (g) Registration under this section expires when the owner
7-24 of the vehicle for which the special plates were issued ceases to
7-25 be a member of congress. The member of congress shall return the
7-26 special license plates to the department.
7-27 (h) If the owner of a vehicle registered under this section
8-1 disposes of the vehicle during the registration period, the owner
8-2 shall surrender the special license plates to the department.
8-3 SECTION 10. Sections 502.297(e)-(g), Transportation Code, are
8-4 amended to read as follows:
8-5 (e) A registration under this section issued to a federal
8-6 judge is for a registration period of 12 consecutive months or
8-7 until March 31, whichever period is shorter.
8-8 (f) On payment of the prescribed fee, the department shall
8-9 issue to a state judge a set of license plates or a device that,
8-10 when attached to the vehicle as prescribed by the department, is
8-11 the registration insignia for the period for which it was issued,
8-12 except as provided by Subsections (h) and (i).
8-13 (g) On application and payment of the prescribed fee for a
8-14 renewal of the registration of a vehicle under this section, the
8-15 department shall issue a registration insignia for the validation
8-16 of the license plates to be attached as provided by Section
8-17 502.180(d).
8-18 (h) Registration under this section expires when the owner
8-19 of the vehicle for which the special plates were issued ceases to
8-20 be a state or federal judge. The judge shall return the special
8-21 license plates to the department.
8-22 (i) If the owner of a vehicle registered under this section
8-23 disposes of the vehicle during the registration period, the owner
8-24 shall surrender the special license plates to the department.
8-25 (j) [(g)] In this section:
8-26 (1) "Federal judge" means:
8-27 (A) a judge of the Fifth Circuit Court of
9-1 Appeals;
9-2 (B) a judge or a magistrate of a United States
9-3 district court; or
9-4 (C) a judge of a United States bankruptcy court.
9-5 (2) "State judge" means:
9-6 (A) a judge of a court of appeals;
9-7 (B) a district court judge;
9-8 (C) a presiding judge of an administrative
9-9 judicial district; or
9-10 (D) a statutory county court judge.
9-11 SECTION 11. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001. The
9-12 change in law made by this Act applies only to an initial
9-13 registration of a motor vehicle or the renewal of a registration
9-14 that is applied for on or after the effective date of this Act. An
9-15 application for initial registration of a motor vehicle or a
9-16 renewal of a registration that is applied for before the effective
9-17 date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the
9-18 application was filed, and the former law is continued in effect
9-19 for that purpose.