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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to money used by counties for the low-income vehicle |
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repair assistance, retrofit, and accelerated vehicle retirement |
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program and local initiative air quality projects. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 403.071(b), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(b) A claim may not be paid from an appropriation unless the |
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claim is presented to the comptroller for payment not later than two |
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years after the end of the fiscal year for which the appropriation |
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was made. However, a claim may be presented not later than four |
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years after the end of the fiscal year for which the appropriation |
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from which the claim is to be paid was made if the appropriation |
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relates to new construction contracts, to funding for local |
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initiative projects described by Section 382.220, Health and Safety |
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Code, that involve construction, to grants awarded under Chapter |
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391, Health and Safety Code, or to repair and remodeling projects |
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that exceed the amount of $20,000, including furniture and other |
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equipment, architects' and engineering fees, and other costs |
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related to the contracts or projects. |
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SECTION 2. Section 382.202(g), Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(g) The commission shall: |
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(1) use part of the fee collected under Subsection (e) |
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to fund low-income vehicle repair assistance, retrofit, and |
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accelerated vehicle retirement programs created under Section |
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382.209; and |
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(2) [to the extent practicable,] distribute available |
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funding created under Subsection (e) among [to] participating |
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counties so that each participating county receives 90 percent of |
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the revenue derived from fees collected in the county [in
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reasonable proportion to the amount of fees collected] under |
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Subsection (e) [in those counties or in the regions in which those
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counties are located]. |
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SECTION 3. Section 382.220, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended by amending Subsections (b) and (d), as effective March 1, |
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2015, and adding Subsection (e) to read as follows: |
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(b) A program under this section must be implemented in |
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consultation with the commission and may include a program to: |
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(1) expand and enhance the AirCheck Texas Repair and |
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Replacement Assistance Program; |
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(2) develop and implement programs or systems that |
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remotely determine vehicle emissions and notify the vehicle's |
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operator; |
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(3) develop and implement projects to implement the |
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commission's smoking vehicle program; |
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(4) develop and implement projects in consultation |
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with the director of the Department of Public Safety for |
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coordinating with local law enforcement officials to reduce the use |
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of counterfeit registration insignia and vehicle inspection |
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reports by providing local law enforcement officials with funds to |
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identify vehicles with counterfeit registration insignia and |
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vehicle inspection reports and to carry out appropriate actions; |
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(5) develop and implement programs to enhance |
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transportation system improvements, including improvements meant |
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to reduce congestion on existing roads, but not including toll |
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projects; or |
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(6) develop and implement new air control strategies |
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designed to assist local areas in complying with state and federal |
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air quality rules and regulations. |
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(d) Fees collected under Sections 382.202 and 382.302 and |
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distributed to a county under Section 382.209 may be used [in an
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amount not to exceed $7 million per fiscal year] for projects |
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described by Subsection (b). Only a county [, of which $2 million
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may be used only for projects described by Subsection (b)(4). The
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remaining $5 million may be used for any project described by
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Subsection (b).
The fees shall be made available only to counties] |
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participating in a program [the low-income vehicle repair
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assistance, retrofit, and accelerated vehicle retirement programs] |
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created under Section 382.209 may receive money to implement a |
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project described by Subsection (b) [and only on a matching basis,
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whereby the commission provides money to a county in the same amount
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that the county dedicates to a project authorized by Subsection
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(b).
The commission may reduce the match requirement for a county
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that proposes to develop and implement independent test facility
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fraud detection programs, including the use of remote sensing
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technology for coordinating with law enforcement officials to
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detect, prevent, and prosecute the use of counterfeit registration
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insignia and vehicle inspection reports]. A county that receives |
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money for a project under this section may allocate money to |
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programs under Section 382.209 and this section at the discretion |
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of the county. |
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(e) Money used to implement a program under this section |
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that involves construction for a fiscal year may be distributed to a |
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county to be used for a program under this section in subsequent |
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fiscal years if the money has been made available to the county and |
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has been treated as a binding encumbrance by the commission before |
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the end of the appropriation year of the money appropriated for |
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those purposes. Distribution of the money is subject to Section |
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403.071, Government Code. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |