1-1 By: Lucio S.B. No. 1516
1-2 (In the Senate - Filed March 9, 2001; March 14, 2001, read
1-3 first time and referred to Committee on Business and Commerce;
1-4 April 24, 2001, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
1-5 Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; April 24, 2001,
1-6 sent to printer.)
1-7 COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1516 By: Lucio
1-8 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-9 AN ACT
1-10 relating to the issuance of certain special license plates by the
1-11 Texas Department of Transportation.
1-12 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-13 SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 502, Transportation Code,
1-14 is amended by adding Section 502.2521 to read as follows:
1-15 Sec. 502.2521. COUNTY ADMINISTRATION OF RENEWALS.
1-16 (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, renewals
1-17 of registrations under this subchapter shall be administered by the
1-18 county assessor-collector of the county in which the vehicle is
1-19 registered or in which the owner of the vehicle resides.
1-20 (b) The department shall:
1-21 (1) modify its processes to generate consolidated
1-22 renewal notices; and
1-23 (2) update the automated registration and title system
1-24 to process renewal transactions under this subchapter and
1-25 appropriately account for the renewal fees.
1-26 SECTION 2. Section 502.254, Transportation Code, is amended
1-27 by amending Subsections (d) and (g), redesignating existing
1-28 Subsection (i) as Subsection (j), and adding a new Subsection (i)
1-29 to read as follows:
1-30 (d) An application for registration under this section must
1-31 be on a form provided by the department and be accompanied by the
1-32 fee prescribed by Subsection (g) and evidence required by the
1-33 department that the applicant may register under this section. An
1-34 application for renewal of a registration under this section is not
1-35 required to be accompanied by evidence that the applicant continues
1-36 to be eligible to register under this section.
1-37 (g) There is no fee for issuance or renewal of the first set
1-38 of license plates under this section. The fee for issuance or
1-39 renewal of each additional set of license plates under this section
1-40 is[:]
1-41 [(1) $3 for the first set of license plates; and]
1-42 [(2)] the applicable annual fee prescribed by Section
1-43 502.161 [for each additional set of license plates].
1-44 (i) A person who registers one or more vehicles under this
1-45 section is entitled to only one exemption from the fee under
1-46 Section 502.161.
1-47 (j) The department may adopt rules to administer this
1-48 section.
1-49 SECTION 3. Section 502.2555, Transportation Code, is amended
1-50 by amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (h) to read as
1-51 follows:
1-52 (c) The department shall issue license plates under this
1-53 section to a person who:
1-54 (1) applies to the department on a form prescribed by
1-55 the department;
1-56 (2) [pays an annual fee of $3;]
1-57 [(3)] submits proof that the person has been awarded
1-58 the Air Force Cross or Distinguished Service Cross, the Army
1-59 Distinguished Service Cross, the Navy Cross, or the Medal of Honor;
1-60 and
1-61 (3) [(4)] submits proof that the person is:
1-62 (A) an honorably discharged veteran of the
1-63 United States armed forces; or
1-64 (B) a member of the United States armed forces
2-1 on active duty.
2-2 (h) An application for renewal of a registration under this
2-3 section is not required to be accompanied by the proof required by
2-4 Subsection (c)(2) or (3). There is no fee for the renewal of a
2-5 registration under this section.
2-6 SECTION 4. Subsection (d), Section 502.257, Transportation
2-7 Code, is amended to read as follows:
2-8 (d) An application for renewal of a registration under this
2-9 section is not required to be accompanied by the proof of
2-10 eligibility required by Subsection (c). There is no fee for the
2-11 renewal of a registration under this section. [The fee for
2-12 issuance of license plates under this section is $3.]
2-13 SECTION 5. Section 502.259, Transportation Code, is amended
2-14 by amending Subsections (c) and (e) and adding Subsection (g) to
2-15 read as follows:
2-16 (c) The department shall issue license plates under this
2-17 section to a person who:
2-18 (1) applies to the department on a form prescribed by
2-19 the department;
2-20 (2) pays the [an] annual fee prescribed by Subsection
2-21 (e) [of:]
2-22 [(A) $3 for the first set of license plates
2-23 issued under this section; and]
2-24 [(B) $15 for each additional set of license
2-25 plates issued under this section]; and
2-26 (3) submits proof that the person:
2-27 (A) served in the United States armed forces;
2-28 (B) was stationed in the Hawaiian Islands on
2-29 December 7, 1941; and
2-30 (C) survived the attack on Pearl Harbor on
2-31 December 7, 1941.
2-32 (e) There is no fee for issuance or renewal of the first set
2-33 of license plates under this section. The fee for issuance or
2-34 renewal of each additional set of license plates under this section
2-35 is the applicable annual fee prescribed by Section 502.161. A
2-36 person who registers one or more vehicles under this section is
2-37 entitled to only one exemption from the fee under Section 502.161.
2-38 (g) An application for renewal of a registration under this
2-39 section is not required to be accompanied by the proof required by
2-40 Subsection (c)(3).
2-41 SECTION 6. Section 502.260, Transportation Code, is amended
2-42 by amending Subsections (c) and (e) and adding Subsection (g) to
2-43 read as follows:
2-44 (c) The department shall issue license plates under this
2-45 section to a person who:
2-46 (1) applies to the department on a form prescribed by
2-47 the department;
2-48 (2) pays the [an] annual fee prescribed by Subsection
2-49 (e) [of:]
2-50 [(A) $3 for the first set of license plates
2-51 issued under this section; and]
2-52 [(B) $15 for each additional set of license
2-53 plates issued under this section]; and
2-54 (3) submits proof that the person has been awarded the
2-55 Purple Heart and is:
2-56 (A) an honorably discharged veteran of the
2-57 United States armed forces;
2-58 (B) a member of the United States armed forces
2-59 on active duty; or
2-60 (C) a civilian national of the United States who
2-61 is an employee or a former employee of a branch of the United
2-62 States armed forces.
2-63 (e) There is no fee for issuance or renewal of the first set
2-64 of license plates under this section. The fee for issuance or
2-65 renewal of each additional set of license plates under this section
2-66 is the applicable annual fee prescribed by Section 502.161. A
2-67 person who registers one or more vehicles under this section is
2-68 entitled to only one exemption from the fee under Section 502.161.
2-69 (g) An application for renewal of a registration under this
3-1 section is not required to be accompanied by the proof required by
3-2 Subsection (c)(3).
3-3 SECTION 7. Subsections (e), (f), and (g), Section 502.295,
3-4 Transportation Code, are amended to read as follows:
3-5 (e) On payment of the prescribed fee, the department shall
3-6 issue to a state official a set of license plates or a device that,
3-7 when attached to the vehicle as prescribed by the department, is
3-8 the registration insignia for the period for which it was issued,
3-9 except as provided by Subsections (g) and (h). [A registration
3-10 under this section is for a registration period of 12 consecutive
3-11 months or until March 31, whichever period is shorter.]
3-12 (f) On application and payment of the prescribed fee for a
3-13 renewal of the registration of a vehicle under this section, the
3-14 department shall issue a registration insignia for the validation
3-15 of the license plates to be attached as provided by Section
3-16 502.180(d).
3-17 (g) Registration under this section expires when the owner
3-18 of the vehicle for which the special plates were issued ceases to
3-19 be a state official. The state official shall return the special
3-20 license plates to the department.
3-21 (h) If the owner of a vehicle registered under this section
3-22 disposes of the vehicle during the registration period, the owner
3-23 shall surrender the special license plates to the department.
3-24 (i) [(g)] In this section, "state official" means:
3-25 (1) a member of the legislature;
3-26 (2) the governor;
3-27 (3) the lieutenant governor;
3-28 (4) a justice of the supreme court;
3-29 (5) a judge of the court of criminal appeals;
3-30 (6) the attorney general;
3-31 (7) the Commissioner of the General Land Office;
3-32 (8) the comptroller;
3-33 (9) a member of the Railroad Commission of Texas;
3-34 (10) the commissioner of agriculture;
3-35 (11) the secretary of state; or
3-36 (12) a member of the State Board of Education.
3-37 SECTION 8. Subsections (e) through (i), Section 502.2951,
3-38 Transportation Code, are amended to read as follows:
3-39 (e) On payment of the prescribed fee, the department shall
3-40 issue to a county judge a set of license plates or a device that,
3-41 when attached to the vehicle as prescribed by the department, is
3-42 the registration insignia for the period for which it was issued,
3-43 except as provided by Subsections (g) and (h). [Registration under
3-44 this section is valid for one year and expires in the same manner
3-45 as do regular motor vehicle registrations, except as provided by
3-46 Subsection (f).]
3-47 (f) On application and payment of the prescribed fee for a
3-48 renewal of the registration of a vehicle under this section, the
3-49 department shall issue a registration insignia for the validation
3-50 of the license plates to be attached as provided by Section
3-51 502.180(d).
3-52 (g) Registration under this section expires when the owner
3-53 of the vehicle for which the special plates were issued ceases to
3-54 be a county judge. The judge shall return the special license
3-55 plates to the department.
3-56 (h) [(g)] If the owner of a vehicle for which plates are
3-57 issued under this section disposes of the vehicle during a
3-58 registration year, the person shall return the special plates to
3-59 the department, and at that time may apply for issuance of those
3-60 plates to another vehicle.
3-61 (i) [(h)] If license plates issued under this section are
3-62 lost, stolen, or mutilated, the owner of the vehicle for which the
3-63 plates were issued may obtain replacement plates from the
3-64 department by paying a replacement fee of $5.
3-65 (j) [(i)] In this section, "county judge" means the judge of
3-66 the county court established by Section 15, Article V, Texas
3-67 Constitution.
3-68 SECTION 9. Subsections (e) and (f), Section 502.296,
3-69 Transportation Code, are amended to read as follows:
4-1 (e) On payment of the prescribed fee, the department shall
4-2 issue to a member of congress a set of license plates or a device
4-3 that, when attached to the vehicle as prescribed by the department,
4-4 is the registration insignia for the period for which it was
4-5 issued, except as provided by Subsections (g) and (h). [A
4-6 registration under this section is for a registration period of 12
4-7 consecutive months or until March 31, whichever period is shorter.]
4-8 (f) On application and payment of the prescribed fee for a
4-9 renewal of the registration of a vehicle under this section, the
4-10 department shall issue a registration insignia for the validation
4-11 of the license plates to be attached as provided by Section
4-12 502.180(d).
4-13 (g) Registration under this section expires when the owner
4-14 of the vehicle for which the special plates were issued ceases to
4-15 be a member of congress. The member of congress shall return the
4-16 special license plates to the department.
4-17 (h) If the owner of a vehicle registered under this section
4-18 disposes of the vehicle during the registration period, the owner
4-19 shall surrender the special license plates to the department.
4-20 SECTION 10. Subsections (e), (f), and (g), Section 502.297,
4-21 Transportation Code, are amended to read as follows:
4-22 (e) A registration under this section issued to a federal
4-23 judge is for a registration period of 12 consecutive months or
4-24 until March 31, whichever period is shorter.
4-25 (f) On payment of the prescribed fee, the department shall
4-26 issue to a state judge a set of license plates or a device that,
4-27 when attached to the vehicle as prescribed by the department, is
4-28 the registration insignia for the period for which it was issued,
4-29 except as provided by Subsections (h) and (i).
4-30 (g) On application and payment of the prescribed fee for a
4-31 renewal of the registration of a vehicle under this section, the
4-32 department shall issue a registration insignia for the validation
4-33 of the license plates to be attached as provided by Section
4-34 502.180(d).
4-35 (h) Registration under this section expires when the owner
4-36 of the vehicle for which the special plates were issued ceases to
4-37 be a state or federal judge. The judge shall return the special
4-38 license plates to the department.
4-39 (i) If the owner of a vehicle registered under this section
4-40 disposes of the vehicle during the registration period, the owner
4-41 shall surrender the special license plates to the department.
4-42 (j) [(g)] In this section:
4-43 (1) "Federal judge" means:
4-44 (A) a judge of the Fifth Circuit Court of
4-45 Appeals;
4-46 (B) a judge or a magistrate of a United States
4-47 district court; or
4-48 (C) a judge of a United States bankruptcy court.
4-49 (2) "State judge" means:
4-50 (A) a judge of a court of appeals;
4-51 (B) a district court judge;
4-52 (C) a presiding judge of an administrative
4-53 judicial district; or
4-54 (D) a statutory county court judge.
4-55 SECTION 11. Subsection (d), Section 502.2555, Subsection
4-56 (d), Section 502.259, and Subsection (d), Section 502.260,
4-57 Transportation Code, are repealed.
4-58 SECTION 12. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001. The
4-59 change in law made by this Act applies only to an initial
4-60 registration of a motor vehicle or the renewal of a registration
4-61 that is applied for on or after the effective date of this Act. An
4-62 application for initial registration of a motor vehicle or a
4-63 renewal of a registration that is applied for before the effective
4-64 date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the
4-65 application was filed, and the former law is continued in effect
4-66 for that purpose.
4-67 * * * * *