H.B. No. 1360
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the exemption of certain vehicles from registration
  fees.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 502.453, Transportation Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         Sec. 502.453.  GOVERNMENT-OWNED VEHICLES; PUBLIC SCHOOL
  BUSES; FIRE-FIGHTING VEHICLES; COUNTY MARINE LAW ENFORCEMENT
  VEHICLES; U.S. COAST GUARD AUXILIARY VEHICLES. (a)  The owner of a
  motor vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer may annually apply for
  registration under Section 502.451 and is exempt from the payment
  of a registration fee under this chapter if the vehicle is:
               (1)  owned by and used exclusively in the service of:
                     (A)  the United States;
                     (B)  this state; or
                     (C)  a county, municipality, or school district in
  this state;
               (2)  owned by a commercial transportation company and
  used exclusively to provide public school transportation services
  to a school district under Section 34.008, Education Code;
               (3)  designed and used exclusively for fire fighting;
               (4)  owned by a volunteer fire department and used
  exclusively in the conduct of department business;
               (5)  privately owned and used by a volunteer
  exclusively in county marine law enforcement activities, including
  rescue operations, under the direction of the sheriff's department;
  [or]
               (6)  used by law enforcement under an alias for covert
  criminal investigations; or
               (7)  owned by units of the United States Coast Guard
  Auxiliary headquartered in Texas and used exclusively for conduct
  of United States Coast Guard or Coast Guard Auxiliary business and
  operations, including search and rescue, emergency communications,
  and disaster operations.
         (b)  An application for registration under this section must
  be made by a person having the authority to certify that the vehicle
  meets the exemption requirements prescribed by Subsection (a).  An
  application for registration under this section of a fire-fighting
  vehicle described by Subsection (a)(3) must include a reasonable
  description of the vehicle and of any fire-fighting equipment
  mounted on the vehicle.  An application for registration under this
  section of a vehicle described by Subsection (a)(5) must include a
  statement signed by a person having the authority to act for a
  sheriff's department that the vehicle is used exclusively in marine
  law enforcement activities under the direction of the sheriff's
  department. An application for registration under this section of
  a vehicle described by Subsection (a)(7) must include a statement
  signed by a person having authority to act for the United States
  Coast Guard Auxiliary that the vehicle or trailer is used
  exclusively in fulfillment of an authorized mission of the United
  States Coast Guard or Coast Guard Auxiliary, including search and
  rescue, patrol, emergency communications, or disaster operations.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 1360 was passed by the House on May 8,
  2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 142, Nays 0, 2 present, not
  voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 1360 was passed by the Senate on May
  26, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
  APPROVED:  _____________________
                     Date          
   
            _____________________
                   Governor