AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
The purpose of S.B. 840 is to provide financial relief for disabled veterans. Some disabled veterans are on fixed incomes and registration fees can have a major impact on their limited budgets. S.B. 840 reduces trailer registration and boat registration fees for disabled veterans in the same manner Texas does for vehicle registration fees.
As proposed, S.B. 840 amends current law relating to watercraft and certain trailer registration fees for veterans with disabilities.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 31.026, Parks and Wildlife Code, by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (d), as follows:
(a) Requires that each application for an original or renewal certificate of number for a vessel, except as provided by Subsection (d), be accompanied by a two-year fee determined by the following classification schedule or determined in the same classifications by the Parks and Wildlife Commission, whichever amount is more:
|
Class |
|
Description of Vessel |
|
Fee |
|
Class A |
|
less than 16 feet in length |
|
$12 |
|
Class 1 |
|
16 feet or over and less than 26 feet in length |
|
$18 |
|
Class 2 |
|
26 feet or over and less than 40 feet in length |
|
$24 |
|
Class 3 |
|
40 feet or more in length |
|
$30 |
(d) Provides that the two-year fee for a vessel owned by a qualified disabled veteran as defined by Section 42.012 (Resident License Fee) is $3.
SECTION 2. Amends Section 502.254, Transportation Code, by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (c), as follows:
(a) Provides that the fee for a registration year for registration of a trailer, travel trailer, or semitrailer with a gross weight of 6,000 pounds or less, except as provided by Subsection (c), is $45.00.
(c) Provides that the fee for a registration year for registration of a trailer, travel trailer, or semitrailer with a gross weight of 6,000 pounds or less is $3 if:
(1) the trailer, travel trailer, or semitrailer is owned by a veteran of the United States armed forces and the trailer, travel trailer, or semitrailer is registered for the veteran's own use;
(2) the veteran has suffered, as a result of military service:
(A) at least a 60 percent service-connected disability; or
(B) a loss of use of a lower extremity; and
(3) the veteran receives compensation from the United States because of the disability.
SECTION 3. (a) Provides that Section 31.026, Parks and Wildlife Code, as amended by this Act, applies only to a fee charged for a vessel's certificate of number issued or renewed on or after the effective date of this Act.
(b) Provides that Section 502.254, Transportation Code, as amended by this Act, applies only to a registration year that begins on or after the effective date of this Act.
SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 2015.