By: Howard of Fort Bend, Smith of Tarrant, et al. H.B. No. 890
        (Senate Sponsor - Davis)
         (In the Senate - Received from the House April 27, 2011;
  April 28, 2011, read first time and referred to Committee on
  Transportation and Homeland Security; May 21, 2011, reported
  favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 21, 2011, sent
  to printer.)
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to certain custom vehicles and street rods.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 501, Transportation Code,
  is amended by adding Section 501.038 to read as follows:
         Sec. 501.038.  CERTIFICATE OF TITLE FOR CUSTOM VEHICLE OR
  STREET ROD. (a) In this section, "custom vehicle" and "street rod"
  have the meanings assigned by Section 504.501.
         (b)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, if
  the department issues a certificate of title for a custom vehicle or
  street rod, the model year and make of the vehicle must be listed on
  the certificate of title and must be the model year and make that
  the body of the vehicle resembles.  The certificate of title must
  also include the word "replica."
         (c)  The owner of the custom vehicle or street rod shall
  provide the department with documentation identifying the model
  year and make that the body of the vehicle resembles.
         SECTION 2.  The heading to Section 504.501, Transportation
  Code, as effective September 1, 2011, is amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 504.501.  CLASSIC MOTOR VEHICLES AND TRAVEL TRAILERS;
  CUSTOM VEHICLES; STREET RODS.
         SECTION 3.  Section 504.501, Transportation Code, as
  effective September 1, 2011, is amended by amending Subsection (a)
  and adding Subsections (d), (e), and (f) to read as follows:
         (a)  The department shall issue specialty license plates for
  a motor vehicle that is at least 25 years old or is a custom vehicle
  or street rod.  The license plates must include the word or words
  "Classic," "Custom Vehicle," or "Street Rod," or a similar
  designation, as appropriate.
         (d)  Notwithstanding Chapter 547, a custom vehicle or street
  rod eligible to receive license plates under this section is not
  required to be equipped with a specific piece of equipment unless
  the specific piece of equipment was required by statute as a
  condition of sale during the year listed as the model year on the
  certificate of title.
         (e)  On initial registration of a custom vehicle or street
  rod, the owner must provide proof, acceptable to the department,
  that the custom vehicle or street rod passed a safety inspection
  that has been approved by the department.  The department shall
  create a safety inspection process for inspecting custom vehicles
  and street rods.
         (f)  In this section:
               (1)  "Custom vehicle" means a vehicle:
                     (A)  that is:
                           (i)  at least 25 years old and of a model
  year after 1948; or
                           (ii)  manufactured to resemble a vehicle
  that is at least 25 years old and of a model year after 1948; and
                     (B)  that:
                           (i)  has been altered from the
  manufacturer's original design; or
                           (ii)  has a body constructed from materials
  not original to the vehicle.
               (2)  "Street rod" means a vehicle:
                     (A)  that was manufactured:
                           (i)  before 1949; or
                           (ii)  after 1948 to resemble a vehicle
  manufactured before 1949; and
                     (B)  that:
                           (i)  has been altered from the
  manufacturer's original design; or
                           (ii)  has a body constructed from materials
  not original to the vehicle.
         SECTION 4.  Section 548.052, Transportation Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         Sec. 548.052.  VEHICLES NOT SUBJECT TO INSPECTION. This
  chapter does not apply to:
               (1)  a trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, or mobile
  home moving under or bearing a current factory-delivery license
  plate or current in-transit license plate;
               (2)  a vehicle moving under or bearing a paper dealer
  in-transit tag, machinery license, disaster license, parade
  license, prorate tab, one-trip permit, antique license, custom
  vehicle license, street rod license, temporary 24-hour permit, or
  permit license;
               (3)  a trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, or mobile
  home having an actual gross weight or registered gross weight of
  4,500 pounds or less;
               (4)  farm machinery, road-building equipment, a farm
  trailer, or a vehicle required to display a slow-moving-vehicle
  emblem under Section 547.703;
               (5)  a former military vehicle, as defined by Section
  504.502 [502.275];
               (6)  a vehicle qualified for a tax exemption under
  Section 152.092, Tax Code; or
               (7)  a vehicle for which a certificate of title has been
  issued but that is not required to be registered.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.
 
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