By: Garcia  S.B. No. 1502
         (In the Senate - Filed March 12, 2015; March 23, 2015, read
  first time and referred to Committee on Transportation;
  April 23, 2015, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
  Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 6, Nays 2; April 23, 2015,
  sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1502 By:  Ellis
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to county regulation of the removal and storage in certain
  counties of unlawfully stopped motor vehicles.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 545.306, Transportation Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         Sec. 545.306.  REGULATION OF TOWING COMPANIES IN CERTAIN
  COUNTIES. (a)  The commissioners court of a county with a
  population of 3.3 million or more shall by order [ordinance]
  provide for the licensing of or the granting of a permit to a person
  to remove or store a vehicle authorized by Section 545.305 to be
  removed in an unincorporated area of the county.
         (b)  The commissioners court of a county with a population of
  3.3 million or more may by order provide for a person to remove or
  store a vehicle that is authorized by Section 545.305 to be removed
  and is located in the corporate boundaries of a municipality in the
  county only if the county has entered into an interlocal agreement
  with the municipality for that purpose.
         (c)  An order under Subsection (a) or (b) [The ordinance]
  must include rules to ensure the protection of the public and the
  safe and efficient operation of towing and storage services in the
  county and may not regulate or restrict the use of lighting
  equipment more than the extent allowed by state and federal law.  
  The sheriff shall determine the rules included in the order
  [ordinance] with the review and consent of the commissioners court.
         (d)  For an order under Subsection (a), the [(b)  The]
  commissioners court shall set the fee for the license or permit in
  an amount that reasonably offsets the costs of enforcing the order
  [ordinance].  The commissioners court shall use each license or
  permit fee to pay salaries and expenses of the sheriff's office for
  conducting inspections to determine compliance with the order
  [ordinance] and laws relating to dealers in scrap metal and
  salvage.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
 
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