BILL ANALYSIS
By: Quintanilla
Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Currently, a county commissioner's court may impose an additional fee not exceeding $10 for registering vehicles in the county. Although the fee is noted in the published county budget, it is not clear the amount that the county collects and how the money is spent. Transportation Code specifically requires the money to be credited to the county road and bridges fund. However, the Texas Local Government Code allows the commissioners court by order to amend the budget to transfer an amount budgeted for one item to another budgeted item without authorizing an emergency expenditure.
C.S.H.B. 615 addresses this concern by requiring counties to publish an accounting report available to the public that is easily understood explaining how much was collected and how the funds were expended.
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
C.S.H.B. 615 mandates the commissioner's court of a county, with a population greater than 650,000 and located within 50 miles of an international border, that imposes an additional fee for registering vehicles shall issue an annual report that is available to the public. The annual report will state the amount of money collected during the county's fiscal year from the fee and it will include a detailed list of how that money was used.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2007.
COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE
The committee substitute adds that the bill is only applicable to a county with a population greater than 650,000 and located within 50 miles of an international border.