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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to suspension of a vehicle registration by the Texas |
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Department of Motor Vehicles for failure to establish financial |
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responsibility; imposing a fee. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter H, Chapter 601, Transportation Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 601.235 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 601.235. SUSPENSION OF MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION BY |
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THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES. (a) The Texas Department of |
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Motor Vehicles may use records of the Texas Department of |
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Insurance, Department of Public Safety, and Texas Department of |
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Motor Vehicles and any other information available to the Texas |
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Department of Motor Vehicles to verify whether owners of motor |
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vehicles have established financial responsibility as required by |
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this chapter. |
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(b) If the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles determines |
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that the owner of a motor vehicle has not established financial |
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responsibility as required by this chapter, the Texas Department of |
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Motor Vehicles shall send a notice to the owner: |
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(1) requiring the owner to submit the evidence |
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required under Section 502.046 to the Texas Department of Motor |
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Vehicles before the 45th day after the date the notice is sent; and |
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(2) warning the owner that the Texas Department of |
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Motor Vehicles shall suspend the owner's vehicle registration if |
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the owner does not comply with Subdivision (1). |
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(c) If the owner does not comply with Subsection (b)(1), the |
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Texas Department of Motor Vehicles shall suspend the owner's |
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vehicle registration and mail in a timely manner a notice to the |
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owner that states that the owner's vehicle registration is |
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suspended. The suspension continues until the owner submits the |
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evidence required under Section 502.046 and pays the fee required |
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by Section 601.376. |
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(d) The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles shall adopt rules |
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to implement this section. |
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SECTION 2. Section 601.376, Transportation Code, is amended |
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by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as |
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follows: |
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(a) Except as provided by Subsection (a-1), a [A] driver's |
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license, vehicle registration, or nonresident's operating |
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privilege that has been suspended under this chapter may not be |
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reinstated and a new license or registration may not be issued to |
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the holder of the suspended license, registration, or privilege |
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until the person: |
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(1) pays to the department a fee of $100; and |
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(2) complies with the other requirements of this |
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chapter. |
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(a-1) A driver's license or vehicle registration suspended |
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under Section 601.235 may not be reinstated until the holder of the |
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suspended license or registration pays to the Texas Department of |
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Motor Vehicles a fee of $200 to cover the cost of administering that |
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section. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |