|
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
relating to optional fees on the registration of a vehicle imposed |
|
by a county. |
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
SECTION 1. Section 502.172(a), Transportation Code, is |
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
(a) The commissioners court of a county by order may impose |
|
an additional fee, not to exceed $15 [$10], for registering a |
|
vehicle in the county. |
|
SECTION 2. Section 502.1725, Transportation Code, is |
|
amended 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 $50 [$10], for registering a |
|
vehicle in the county. |
|
(b) [(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. |
|
(c) [(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. |
|
(d) [(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. |
|
(e) [(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 deposit [send] the fee revenue in a |
|
special account in the county general fund. Money in the account may |
|
be used only to contract with: |
|
(1) [to] the regional mobility authority of the county |
|
to promote and maintain a public purpose of the county that involves |
|
funding [fund] long-term transportation projects in the county; or |
|
(2) a transportation governmental entity designated |
|
under Subsection (i) to promote and maintain a public purpose of the |
|
county that involves funding long-term transportation projects in |
|
the county. |
|
(f) [(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 county for |
|
deposit and use as provided by Subsection (e) [regional mobility
|
|
authority of the county to fund long-term transportation projects
|
|
in the county]. |
|
(g) [(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. |
|
(h) The total amount of fees imposed by a commissioners |
|
court of a county under this section and under Section 502.172 may |
|
not exceed $65. |
|
(i) The department shall designate the governmental |
|
entities that serve primarily a transportation function and with |
|
which counties may contract under Subsection (e). |
|
SECTION 3. 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, 2009. |