By: Harris  S.B. No. 513
         (In the Senate - Filed February 7, 2007; February 21, 2007,
  read first time and referred to Committee on Transportation and
  Homeland Security; April 24, 2007, reported adversely, with
  favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 9,
  Nays 0; April 24, 2007, sent to printer.)
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 513 By:  Watson
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the requirement that certain applicants for a vehicle
  dealer general distinguishing number complete a dealer education
  course.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 503.029, Transportation Code, is amended
  by adding Subsections (d) and (e) to read as follows:
         (d)  An applicant for an original dealer general
  distinguishing number who proposes to be an independent motor
  vehicle dealer and who does not hold another type of dealer general
  distinguishing number must submit to the department evidence that
  the applicant completed a dealer education course approved by the
  department in the year preceding the date the application is filed.  
  The course must be at least eight hours and not more than 12 hours in
  length.
         (e)  The department may approve a dealer education course
  under Subsection (d) only if the provider of the course:
               (1)  is a business with its principal office in this
  state;
               (2)  demonstrates to the satisfaction of the department
  that the provider has experience providing high-level,
  professional education to independent motor vehicle dealers;
               (3)  provides to each person who attends a course
  sample copies of forms required under state and federal law to be
  used in motor vehicle transactions;
               (4)  provides ongoing educational support by telephone
  or the Internet for one year at no additional cost to persons who
  have attended a course;
               (5)  provides at least eight dealer education courses
  each calendar year, including at least one course each year at a
  location not more than 300 miles from any location in this state,
  and provides an Internet version of the course in English and in
  Spanish; and
               (6)  has a curriculum review panel for the course that
  consists of at least four independent motor vehicle dealers who
  hold dealer general distinguishing numbers.
         SECTION 2.  Subsection (d), Section 503.029, Transportation
  Code, as added by this Act, applies only to an application for an
  original dealer general distinguishing number filed with the Texas
  Department of Transportation on or after September 1, 2008.  An
  application filed before that date is governed by the law in effect
  when the application was filed, and the former law is continued in
  effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 3.  Not later than January 1, 2008, the Texas
  Department of Transportation shall begin to approve or reject
  applications from providers of dealer education courses under
  Subsections (d) and (e), Section 503.029, Transportation Code, as
  added by this Act.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.
 
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