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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to an optional county fee for vehicle registration in Fort |
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Bend County. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. This Act is enacted under the authority of the |
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legislature to pass local laws for the maintenance of public roads |
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and highways under Section 9(e), Article VIII, Texas Constitution. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 502, Transportation Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 502.1726 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 502.1726. OPTIONAL COUNTY FEE FOR TRANSPORTATION |
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PROJECTS IN FORT BEND COUNTY. (a) The commissioners court of Fort |
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Bend County, by order may impose an additional fee for registering a |
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vehicle in the county as follows: |
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(1) for a vehicle having a value of $10,000 or less, |
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the additional fee is $10; and |
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(2) for a vehicle having a value of more than $10,000, |
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the additional fee shall be $10 plus an additional $1 for each |
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$1,000 of value above $10,000. |
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(b) For purposes of this section, the value of a vehicle |
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shall be determined at the time of purchase. The value of the |
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vehicle must be rounded to the nearest thousand dollar amount. The |
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department shall adopt rules for implementing this section. |
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(c) A vehicle that may be registered under this chapter |
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without payment of a registration fee may be registered in the |
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county imposing a fee under this section without payment of the |
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additional fee. |
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(d) A fee imposed under this section may take effect only on |
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January 1 of a year. The county must adopt the order and notify the |
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department not later than September 1 of the year preceding the year |
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in which the fee takes effect. |
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(e) A fee imposed under this section may be removed. The |
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removal may take effect only on January 1 of a year. The county may |
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remove the fee only by: |
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(1) rescinding the order imposing the fee; and |
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(2) notifying the department not later than September |
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1 of the year preceding the year in which the removal takes effect. |
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(f) The county assessor-collector of the county imposing a |
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fee under this section shall collect the additional fee for a |
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vehicle when other fees imposed under this chapter are collected. |
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The county may use the fee revenue only to fund long-term |
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transportation projects in the county. |
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(g) The department shall collect the additional fee on a |
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vehicle that is owned by a resident of the county imposing a fee |
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under this section and that, under this chapter, must be registered |
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directly with the department. The department shall send all fees |
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collected for the county under this subsection to the county for use |
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as provided by Subsection (f). |
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(h) The department shall adopt rules and develop forms |
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necessary to administer registration by mail for a vehicle being |
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registered in the county imposing a fee under this section. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |