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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the authority of a county assessor-collector or the |
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Texas Department of Transportation to refuse to register a vehicle |
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in certain circumstances. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 502.185(a), (b), (c), (d), (e), and |
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(f), Transportation Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) A county assessor-collector [or the department] may |
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refuse to register a motor vehicle if the assessor-collector [or
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the department] receives information that the owner of the vehicle |
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owes the county money for a fine, fee, or tax that is past due. |
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(b) The department shall refuse to register a motor vehicle |
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if the department has received information from a county |
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assessor-collector that the owner of the vehicle owes the county |
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money for a fine, fee, or tax that is past due. To be valid, notice |
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under this subsection must include: |
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(1) the name of the owner and the license number or |
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vehicle identification number of the vehicle; |
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(2) the amount of the fine, fee, or tax that is past |
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due; |
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(3) the name of the entity to which the fine, fee, or |
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tax is due; |
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(4) a description of the grounds for imposition of the |
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fine, fee, or tax; and |
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(5) the address where payment of the fine, fee, or tax |
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can be made or sent and the telephone number for that address [A
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county may contract with the department to provide information to
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the department necessary to make a determination under Subsection
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(a)]. |
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(c) A county that has sent a notice to the department [a
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contract] under Subsection (b) shall notify the department as soon |
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as possible if the [regarding a] person described in the notice pays |
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or otherwise discharges [for whom the county assessor-collector or
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the department has refused to register a motor vehicle on:
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[(1) the person's payment or other means of discharge
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of] the past due fine, fee, or tax[;] or has perfected [(2) |
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perfection of] an appeal of the case contesting payment of the fine, |
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fee, or tax. |
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[(d)] After notice is received under this subsection |
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[Subsection (c)], the [county assessor-collector or the] |
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department may not refuse to register the motor vehicle under |
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Subsection (b) [(a)]. |
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(d) In connection with a vehicle described by Subsection |
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(b), the first registration renewal notice sent to the vehicle |
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owner after the date the department received notice under that |
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subsection must include notice to the owner, in bold 12-point type, |
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that registration of the vehicle is blocked under this section and |
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will continue to be blocked until the person pays or otherwise |
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discharges the fine, fee, or tax due the county, includes the amount |
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of the past due fine, fee, or tax, and provides the address to which |
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payment of the fine, fee, or tax can be made or sent [(e) A
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contract under Subsection (b) must be entered into in accordance
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with Chapter 791, Government Code, and is subject to the ability of
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the parties to provide or pay for the services required under the
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contract]. |
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(e) The department shall provide a service by which [(f) A
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county that has a contract under Subsection (b) may impose an
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additional fee to] a person is able to pay [paying] a fine, fee, or |
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tax to the county by use of the Internet [after it is past due]. The |
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[additional fee may be used only to reimburse the] department may |
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not refuse to register a vehicle after the person pays the past due |
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fine, fee, or tax by means of the online service [for its expenses
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for providing services under the contract]. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |