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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the disputed payment by a credit card or debit card of a |
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vehicle registration fee. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 502, Transportation Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 502.1931 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 502.1931. DISPUTED PAYMENT BY CREDIT CARD OR DEBIT |
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CARD. (a) A county assessor-collector who receives from any |
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person a payment by credit card or debit card for a registration fee |
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for a registration year that has not ended that is returned unpaid |
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because the payment by the credit card or debit card has been |
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disputed by the credit card or debit card company shall certify the |
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fact to the sheriff or a constable or highway patrol officer in the |
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county after attempts to contact the person fail to result in the |
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collection of payment. The certification must be made before the |
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30th day after the date the assessor-collector is made aware that |
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the credit card or debit card payment has been disputed and: |
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(1) be under the assessor-collector's official seal; |
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(2) include the name and address of the person who |
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authorized the credit card or debit card payment; |
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(3) include the license plate number and make of the |
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vehicle; |
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(4) be accompanied by evidence from the credit card or |
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debit card company that the company has determined that it will not |
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make payment on the disputed credit card or debit card charge; and |
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(5) be accompanied by documentation of any attempt to |
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contact the person and collect payment. |
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(b) On receiving a complaint under Subsection (a) from the |
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county assessor-collector, the sheriff, constable, or highway |
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patrol officer shall find the person who authorized the credit card |
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or debit card payment, if the person is in the county, and demand |
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immediate redemption of payment from the person. If the person |
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fails or refuses to redeem the payment, the sheriff, constable, or |
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highway patrol officer shall: |
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(1) seize and remove the license plates and |
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registration insignia from the vehicle; and |
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(2) return the license plates and registration |
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insignia to the assessor-collector. |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to a payment of a registration fee submitted to a county |
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assessor-collector on or after the effective date of this Act. A |
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payment submitted before the effective date of this Act is governed |
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by the law in effect on the date the payment was submitted, and the |
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former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |