By: Flores (Senate Sponsor - Hinojosa) H.B. No. 3437
         (In the Senate - Received from the House April 23, 2007;
  April 24, 2007, read first time and referred to Committee on
  Transportation and Homeland Security; May 2, 2007, reported
  favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 2, 2007, sent
  to printer.)
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to an optional fee on registration of a vehicle in certain
  counties to fund transportation projects.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter D, Chapter 502, Transportation Code,
  is amended by adding Section 502.1725 to read as follows:
         Sec. 502.1725.  OPTIONAL COUNTY FEE FOR TRANSPORTATION
  PROJECTS.  (a)  This section applies only to a county:
               (1)  that borders the United Mexican States;
               (2)  that has a population of more than 300,000; and
               (3)  in which the largest municipality has a population
  of less than 300,000.
         (b)  The commissioners court of a county by order may impose
  an additional fee, not to exceed $10, for registering a vehicle in
  the county.
         (c)  A vehicle that may be registered under this chapter
  without payment of a registration fee may be registered in a county
  imposing a fee under this section without payment of the additional
  fee.
         (d)  A fee imposed under this section may take effect only on
  January 1 of a year. The county must adopt the order and notify the
  department not later than September 1 of the year preceding the year
  in which the fee takes effect.
         (e)  A fee imposed under this section may be removed. The
  removal may take effect only on January 1 of a year. A county may
  remove the fee only by:
               (1)  rescinding the order imposing the fee; and
               (2)  notifying the department not later than September
  1 of the year preceding the year in which the removal takes effect.
         (f)  The county assessor-collector of a county imposing a fee
  under this section shall collect the additional fee for a vehicle
  when other fees imposed under this chapter are collected.  The
  county shall send the fee revenue to the regional mobility
  authority of the county to fund long-term transportation projects
  in the county.
         (g)  The department shall collect the additional fee on a
  vehicle that is owned by a resident of a county imposing a fee under
  this section and that, under this chapter, must be registered
  directly with the department. The department shall send all fees
  collected for a county under this subsection to the regional
  mobility authority of the county to fund long-term transportation
  projects in the county.
         (h)  The department shall adopt rules and develop forms
  necessary to administer registration by mail for a vehicle being
  registered in a county imposing a fee under this section.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2007.
 
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