| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
| |
|
|
relating to the extended registration of a commercial fleet of |
|
|
motor vehicles. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 502.001, Transportation Code, is amended |
|
|
by adding Subdivision (1-a) to read as follows: |
|
|
(1-a) "Commercial fleet" means a group of at least 25 |
|
|
nonapportioned motor vehicles owned by a corporation, limited or |
|
|
general partnership, limited liability company, or other business |
|
|
entity and used for the business purposes of that entity. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 502, Transportation Code, |
|
|
is amended by adding Section 502.0023 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 502.0023. EXTENDED REGISTRATION OF COMMERCIAL FLEET |
|
|
MOTOR VEHICLES. (a) Notwithstanding Section 502.158(c), the |
|
|
department shall develop and implement a system of registration to |
|
|
allow an owner of a commercial fleet to register the motor vehicles |
|
|
in the commercial fleet for an extended registration period of not |
|
|
less than one year or more than eight years. The owner may select |
|
|
the number of years for registration under this section within that |
|
|
range and register the commercial fleet for that period. Payment |
|
|
for all registration fees for the entire registration period |
|
|
selected is due at the time of registration. |
|
|
(b) In addition to the registration fees prescribed by |
|
|
Subchapter D, an owner registering a commercial fleet under this |
|
|
section shall pay: |
|
|
(1) an annual commercial fleet registration fee of $10 |
|
|
per motor vehicle in the fleet; and |
|
|
(2) a one-time license plate manufacturing fee of |
|
|
$1.50 for each fleet motor vehicle license plate. |
|
|
(c) A license plate issued under this section: |
|
|
(1) may, on request of the owner, include the name or |
|
|
logo of the business entity that owns the vehicle; |
|
|
(2) must include the expiration date of the |
|
|
registration period; and |
|
|
(3) does not require an annual registration insignia |
|
|
to be valid. |
|
|
(d) If a motor vehicle registered under this section has a |
|
|
gross weight in excess of 10,000 pounds, the department shall also |
|
|
issue a registration card for the vehicle that is valid for the |
|
|
selected registration period. |
|
|
(e) The department shall adopt rules to implement this |
|
|
section, including rules on suspension from the commercial fleet |
|
|
program for failure to comply with this section or rules adopted |
|
|
under this section. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Subsection (b), Section 501.0234, |
|
|
Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows: |
|
|
(b) This section does not apply to a motor vehicle: |
|
|
(1) that has been declared a total loss by an insurance |
|
|
company in the settlement or adjustment of a claim; |
|
|
(2) for which the certificate of title has been |
|
|
surrendered in exchange for: |
|
|
(A) a salvage vehicle title issued under this |
|
|
chapter; |
|
|
(B) a nonrepairable vehicle title issued under |
|
|
this chapter; |
|
|
(C) a certificate of authority issued under |
|
|
Subchapter D, Chapter 683; or |
|
|
(D) an ownership document issued by another state |
|
|
that is comparable to a document described by Paragraphs (A)-(C); |
|
|
[or] |
|
|
(3) with a gross weight in excess of 11,000 pounds; or |
|
|
(4) purchased by a commercial fleet buyer who utilizes |
|
|
the dealer title application process developed to provide a method |
|
|
to submit title transactions to counties that have approved the |
|
|
persons as full-service deputies under Section 502.114. |
|
|
SECTION 4. The Texas Department of Transportation shall |
|
|
adopt the rules and establish the system required under Section |
|
|
502.0023, Transportation Code, as added by this Act, not later than |
|
|
September 1, 2010. |
|
|
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
|
|
|
|
|
* * * * * |