BILL ANALYSIS
By: Hamric
Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
CSHB 2955 amends the Transportation Code, Chapter 502 to address enforcement and registration issues related to motor vehicles that will allow for better compliance with current law and better collection of outstanding fines, fees and taxes.
Chapter 502 of the Transportation Code governs the registration of vehicles and allows a county assessor-collector or the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to refuse to register a vehicle if the owner owes the county a fine, fee or tax that is past due. Unpaid fines, fees and taxes may include court costs, false alarm fines, toll road violations and others. CSHB 2955 expands 502.185, Transportation Code to allow a county assessor-collector or the department to refuse to register a motor vehicle if the owner on the vehicle owes any county within the state money for a fine, fee or tax that is past due.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends the Transportation Code by amending Section 502.185, by renaming the section heading striking “In Certain” and adding “By” and “Or Department”.
SECTION 2. Amends the Transportation Code by amending Section 502.185(a) by striking “the” and inserting “a” and “in this state”.
SECTION 3. This bill applies to registrations that occur on or after the effective date of the bill. Otherwise, the law as it existed immediately before the effective date applies to registrations that occurred before the effective date.
SECTION 4. Provides an effective date of September 1, 2005.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2005.
COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE
The Substitute bill differs from the Original in that it is a Legislative Council Draft of the Original. In addition, it deletes the proposed amended Section 284.209 of the Transportation Code.