By: Watson  S.B. No. 840
         (In the Senate - Filed February 27, 2015; March 4, 2015,
  read first time and referred to Committee on Transportation;
  April 20, 2015, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
  Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 9, Nays 0; April 20, 2015,
  sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 840 By:  Hancock
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to certain trailer registration fees for veterans with
  disabilities.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 502.254(a), Transportation Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (a)  Except as provided by Section 504.202, the [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
  $45.00.
         SECTION 2.  Section 504.202, Transportation Code, is amended
  by amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsections (a-1)
  and (j) to read as follows:
         (a)  A person entitled to specialty license plates under this
  section may register, for the person's own use, and [one vehicle]
  without payment of any fee paid for or at the time of registration
  except the fee for the license plates:
               (1)  one motor vehicle; and
               (2)  one trailer, travel trailer, or semitrailer.
         (a-1)  Registration under this section is valid for one year.
         (b)  A veteran of the United States armed forces is entitled
  to register, for the person's own use, [motor] vehicles under this
  section if:
               (1)  the person has suffered, as a result of military
  service:
                     (A)  at least a 50 percent service-connected
  disability; or
                     (B)  a 40 percent service-connected disability
  because of the amputation of a lower extremity;
               (2)  the person receives compensation from the United
  States because of the disability; and
               (3)  the [motor] vehicle[:
                     [(A)]  is owned by the person[;] and:
                     (A)  if the vehicle is a motor vehicle, [(B)]  has
  a gross vehicle weight of 18,000 pounds or less; or
                     (B)  if the vehicle is a trailer, travel trailer,
  or semitrailer, has a gross weight of 6,000 pounds or less.
         (j)  In this section, "motor vehicle," "semitrailer,"
  "trailer," "travel trailer," and "vehicle" have the meanings
  assigned by Section 502.001.
         SECTION 3.  This Act applies only to a registration year that
  begins on or after the effective date of this Act.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect January 1, 2016.
 
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