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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the payment of a vehicle registration fee by a check |
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drawn against insufficient funds. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 502.181(a), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) A county assessor-collector who receives from any |
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person a check or draft drawn on a bank or trust company in payment |
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of a registration fee for a registration year that has not ended on |
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a motor vehicle, trailer, or motorcycle sidecar that is returned |
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unpaid because of insufficient funds or no funds in the bank or |
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trust company to the credit of the drawer of the check or draft |
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shall [immediately] certify the fact to the sheriff or a constable |
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or highway patrol officer in the county after attempts to contact |
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the person fail to result in the collection of payment. The |
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certification must be made before the 30th day after the date the |
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check or draft is returned unpaid and: |
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(1) be under the assessor-collector's official seal; |
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(2) include the name and address of the person who gave |
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the assessor-collector the check or draft; |
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(3) include the license plate number and make of the |
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vehicle; [and] |
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(4) be accompanied by the check or draft; and |
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(5) be accompanied by documentation of any attempt to |
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contact the person and collect payment. |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to a payment of a registration fee submitted to a county |
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assessor-collector on or after the effective date of this Act. A |
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payment submitted before the effective date of this Act is governed |
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by the law in effect on the date the payment was submitted, and the |
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former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |