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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to evidence of motor vehicle financial responsibility; |
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providing a penalty. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 601.053, Transportation Code, is amended |
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by adding Subsections (c) and (d) to read as follows: |
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(c) A person commits an offense if the person fails or |
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refuses to provide to a peace officer the evidence of financial |
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responsibility as required by Subsection (a). An offense under |
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this subsection is a Class C misdemeanor. |
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(d) A court shall dismiss a charge of an offense under |
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Subsection (c) if the defendant presents to the court one of the |
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documents listed in Subsection (a) that was valid at the time that |
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the offense occurred. The court may assess the defendant an |
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administrative fee not to exceed $10 when the charge is dismissed. |
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Section 51.607, Government Code, does not apply to the |
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administrative fee. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter I, Chapter 601, Transportation Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 601.2611 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 601.2611. RELEASE OF VEHICLE ON PROOF OF FINANCIAL |
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RESPONSIBILITY IN CERTAIN MUNICIPALITIES. (a) This section |
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applies only to a municipality that has a population of more than |
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one million and is located in the metropolitan area served by a |
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rapid transit authority eligible to create an advanced |
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transportation district under Subchapter O, Chapter 451. |
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(b) Notwithstanding any other law, the owner or operator of |
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a storage facility shall release a vehicle impounded at the |
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facility because the vehicle had been operated by a person without |
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evidence of financial responsibility and waive the impound and |
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storage fees if the owner of the vehicle provides to the owner or |
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operator of the facility not later than 48 hours after the vehicle |
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was impounded evidence of financial responsibility for the vehicle |
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that was in effect on the date the impoundment began. The |
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municipality that authorized the impoundment shall pay any |
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impoundment or storage fee waived under this section. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |