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78R3417 JRJ-D
By: Mercer H.B. No. 734
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the registration period for motor vehicles.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. The heading to Section 502.158, Transportation
Code, is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 502.158. REGISTRATION PERIOD [YEAR].
SECTION 2. Section 502.158, Transportation Code, is amended
by amending Subsections (a), (b), (c), and (g) and adding
Subsection (h) to read as follows:
(a) The department shall designate a vehicle registration
period [year] of 24 [12] consecutive months to begin on the first
day of a calendar month and end on the last day of the 24th [12th]
calendar month.
(b) The department shall designate vehicle registration
periods [years] so as to distribute the work of the department and
the county assessor-collectors as uniformly as possible throughout
the year. The department may establish separate registration
periods [years] for any vehicle or classification of vehicle and
may adopt rules to administer the year-round registration system.
(c) The department may designate a registration period of
less than 24 [12] months. The registration fee for a registration
period of less than 24 [12] months is computed at a rate of
one-twenty-fourth [one-twelfth] the [annual] registration fee
multiplied by the number of months in the registration period. The
department may not designate a registration period of more than 24
[12] months, but:
(1) with the consent of the department, an owner may
pay registration fees for a designated period of more than 24 [12]
months; and
(2) an owner of a vehicle may pay registration fees for
a designated period of [12,] 24, 48, or 72 [36] months.
(g) The department shall issue the applicant for
registration who pays registration fees for a designated period of
48 [24] or 72 [36] months a registration receipt and registration
insignia that are valid until the expiration of the designated
period.
(h) For purposes of this chapter, a reference to a
registration year or an annual registration means the period
established in this section.
SECTION 3. Subchapter D, Chapter 502, Transportation Code,
is amended by adding Section 502.1595 to read as follows:
Sec. 502.1595. ADJUSTMENT AND DISPOSITION OF FEES FOR
VEHICLE REGISTRATION PERIOD. (a) Notwithstanding any other
provision of law, the department shall adopt rules to set
applicable vehicle registration fees in this chapter at twice the
amount of the annual fee to provide for the 24-month registration
period required by Section 502.158. The rules must include
provision for collection of an optional county fee under Section
502.172 or 502.173 at twice the amount of the annual fee.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
department shall provide for disposition of the fees set under
Subsection (a) to an entity at twice the amount the entity is
entitled to receive under a provision of this chapter.
SECTION 4. Sections 502.180(b) and (c), Transportation
Code, are amended to read as follows:
(b) The department shall issue only one license plate or set
of plates for a vehicle during a six-year [five-year] period.
(c) On application and payment of the prescribed fee for a
renewal of the registration of a vehicle for the first, second, or
third[, or fourth] registration period [year] after the issuance of
a license plate or set of plates for the vehicle, the department
shall issue a registration insignia for the validation of the
license plate or plates to be attached as provided by Subsection
(d).
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2003, and
applies only to a vehicle registered on or after that date.