78R1709 MTB-D

By:  Flores                                                       H.B. No. 1216



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to requiring a sticker on a motor vehicle evidencing 
financial responsibility.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 502.153(b), Transportation Code, is 
amended to read as follows:
	(b)  The county assessor-collector shall examine the 
evidence of financial responsibility to determine whether it 
complies with Subsection (c).  After examining the evidence, the 
assessor-collector shall:
		(1)  return the evidence unless it is in the form of a 
photocopy or an electronic submission; and
		(2)  issue a sticker described by Section 601.051(b) if 
the evidence complies with Subsection (c).
	SECTION 2.  Section 601.051, Transportation Code, is amended  
to read as follows:
	Sec. 601.051.  REQUIREMENT OF FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. (a)
A person may not operate a motor vehicle in this state unless 
financial responsibility is established for that vehicle through:
		(1)  a motor vehicle liability insurance policy that 
complies with Subchapter D;
		(2)  a surety bond filed under Section 601.121;                               
		(3)  a deposit under Section 601.122;                                         
		(4)  a deposit under Section 601.123;  or                                     
		(5)  self-insurance under Section 601.124.                                    
	(b)  A motor vehicle that is operated in this state for which 
this chapter requires establishment of financial responsibility, 
other than a vehicle owned by a nonresident and registered under the 
laws of the owner's home state, must have affixed to it a sticker 
indicating that financial responsibility has been established for 
the vehicle under Subsection (a).
	(c)  The application for the sticker required under 
Subsection (b) must be made to the department through the county 
assessor-collector of the county in which the owner resides.
	(d)  On payment of a prescribed fee, the county 
assessor-collector shall issue to an applicant who establishes 
financial responsibility under Section 502.153 a sticker that, when 
attached to the vehicle as prescribed by the department, is the 
financial responsibility insignia for the period for which it was 
issued.
	(e)  The department shall:                                              
		(1)  design the sticker described in Subsection (b) to 
include the sticker's expiration date;
		(2)  impose a fee to defray the cost of administering 
this section; and
		(3)  adopt rules to administer this section, including 
rules:        
			(A)  determining the disposition of fees 
collected under this section between the department and the county 
assessor-collector; and
			(B)  providing for the submission of records 
required under this section from the county assessor-collector to 
the department.
	(f)  A sticker issued by the department under Subsection (d) 
expires: 
		(1)  on the first anniversary of the date of issuance if 
financial responsibility is established by a method listed under 
Subsections (a)(2)-(a)(5); or
		(2)  on the day the motor vehicle liability insurance 
policy expires if financial responsibility is established by the 
method listed in Subsection (a)(1).
	SECTION 3.  (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.                      
	(b)  Before September 1, 2004, the Department of Public 
Safety shall adopt rules to implement the changes in law made by 
this Act.
	(c)  The changes in law made by this Act apply to a motor 
vehicle according to the rules adopted under Subsection (b) of this 
section.