Honorable Robert Nichols, Chair, Senate Committee on Transportation
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB1329 by Paxton (Relating to remedies for nonpayment of regional tollway authority tolls.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend the Transportation Code to authorize the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) to seek a determination that a registered owner of a vehicle is a habitual violator for the non-payment of tolls and administrative fees for use of NTTA's toll projects. The bill would prescribe policies and procedures the NTTA to seek an administrative decision regarding habitual violator remedies and notify the affected registered owner; authorize a person to request a hearing regarding the administrative decision; and authorize a person to seek appeal of an administrative decision in the applicable county court. The bill would authorize the NTTA to report to a county assessor-collector or the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) that a determination that a registered vehicle owner is a habitual violator and request that a county assessor-collector or DMV refuse to register or renew the registration of a motor vehicle owned by the habitual violator.
Based on the information provided by TxDOT, the Office of Court Administration, the Comptroller of Public Accounts, and the DMV, it is assumed any costs or duties associated with implementing the provision bill could be absorbed within existing resources.
It is assumed the remedies provided to the NTTA by the bill could result in increased collections of unpaid tolls and fees; however, the toll project revenue is deposited outside the State Treasury. This analysis assumes the DMV and County Assessor-Collectors would block the registration of a vehicle owned by a habitual violator until the tolling entity provided notice that the owner was no longer determined to be a habitual violator. The provisions of the bill could result in a decrease in registration fee revenue depending on the number of blocked registrations and the duration of the habitual violator determination for a registered owner. However, information provided by the DMV indicates that this number would not be significant. Based on the information and analysis provided by the DMV, it is assumed the bill would not result in a significant impact to state revenue.
Local Government Impact
Because the bill would not have statewide impact on units of local government of the same type or class, no comment from this office is required by the rules of the House/Senate as to its probable fiscal implication on units of local government.
Source Agencies:
212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 601 Department of Transportation, 608 Department of Motor Vehicles