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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to an optional county fee on registration of a vehicle to |
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fund public transportation. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 502, Transportation Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 502.1725 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 502.1725. OPTIONAL COUNTY FEE FOR PUBLIC |
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TRANSPORTATION. (a) The commissioners court of a county by order |
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may impose an additional fee, not to exceed $10, for registering a |
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vehicle in the county. |
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(b) A vehicle that may be registered under this chapter |
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without payment of a registration fee may be registered in a county |
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imposing a fee under this section without payment of the additional |
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fee. |
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(c) A fee imposed under this section may take effect only on |
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January 1 of a year. The county must adopt the order and notify the |
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department not later than September 1 of the year preceding the year |
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in which the fee takes effect. |
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(d) A fee imposed under this section may be removed. The |
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removal may take effect only on January 1 of a year. A county may |
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remove the fee only by: |
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(1) rescinding the order imposing the fee; and |
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(2) notifying the department not later than September |
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1 of the year preceding the year in which the removal takes effect. |
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(e) The county assessor-collector of a county imposing a fee |
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under this section shall collect the additional fee for a vehicle |
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when other fees imposed under this chapter are collected. |
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(f) The department shall collect the additional fee on a |
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vehicle that is owned by a resident of a county imposing a fee under |
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this section and that, under this chapter, must be registered |
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directly with the department. The department shall send all fees |
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collected for a county under this subsection to the county |
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treasurer to be credited to the county public transportation fund. |
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(g) The department shall adopt rules and develop forms |
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necessary to administer registration by mail for a vehicle being |
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registered in a county imposing a fee under this section. |
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(h) A county imposing a fee under this section may deduct |
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for administrative costs an amount not to exceed 10 percent of the |
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revenue it receives from the fee. After making the administrative |
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deduction, the county may deduct from the remaining fee revenue an |
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amount proportional to the percentage of county residents who live |
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in unincorporated areas of the county to be used as provided by |
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Subsection (i). After making the deductions as provided by this |
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subsection, the county shall send the remainder of the fee revenue |
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to the municipalities in the county in proportion to the population |
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of each municipality. |
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(i) After deducting the amount specified by Subsection (h) |
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for administrative costs, a county shall use revenue from a fee |
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imposed under this section to support public transportation within |
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the county provided by: |
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(1) a metropolitan rapid transit authority |
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established under Chapter 451; |
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(2) a municipal transit department established under |
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Chapter 453; |
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(3) a municipal mass transportation system |
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established under Chapter 454; or |
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(4) a rural or urban transit district established |
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under Chapter 458. |
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(j) A municipality that receives funds under Subsection (h) |
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may deduct an amount not to exceed 10 percent of the revenue it |
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receives for: |
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(1) administrative costs; |
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(2) road and bridge projects within the municipality; |
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or |
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(3) public transportation projects within the |
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municipality. |
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(k) After deducting the amount specified by Subsection (j), |
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a municipality shall use revenue from a fee imposed under this |
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section to support public transportation within the municipality |
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provided by: |
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(1) a metropolitan rapid transit authority |
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established under Chapter 451; |
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(2) a municipal transit department established under |
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Chapter 453; |
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(3) a municipal mass transportation system |
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established under Chapter 454; or |
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(4) a rural or urban transit district established |
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under Chapter 458. |
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(l) A county or municipality may use revenue from a fee |
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imposed under this section to contract with an entity listed under |
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Subsection (i) or (k), as appropriate, to provide public |
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transportation within the county or municipality. |
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(m) In this section, "public transportation" has the |
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meaning assigned by Section 458.001, Transportation Code. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |