By: Uresti S.B. No. 1390

(In the Senate - Filed March 7, 2007; March 20, 2007, read first time and referred to Committee on Veteran Affairs and Military Installations; April 3, 2007, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 4, Nays 0; April 3, 2007, sent to printer.)

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1390 By: Shapleigh

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to rental of a vehicle to a member of the armed forces; providing a civil penalty.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 35, Business & Commerce Code, is amended by adding Section 35.64 to read as follows:

Sec. 35.64. RENTAL OF VEHICLE TO MEMBER OF ARMED FORCES. (a) In this section, "vehicle rental company" means a person whose primary business is renting private passenger vehicles to the public for 30 days or less.

(b) A vehicle rental company may not refuse to rent a private passenger vehicle to a person because of the person's age if the person presents a valid military identification card indicating that the person is a member of the United States armed forces or a member of the Texas state military forces as defined by Section 431.001, Government Code.

(c) A vehicle rental company that violates this section is liable to the state for a civil penalty of not more than $1,000 for each violation. The attorney general or the prosecuting attorney in the county in which a violation occurs may bring suit to recover the civil penalty imposed under this subsection.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.

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