85S10489 JXC-D

By: Pickett H.B. No. 161

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the authority of a county to end a low-income vehicle repair assistance, retrofit, and accelerated vehicle retirement program in the county.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 382.209, Health and Safety Code, is amended by adding Subsections (k), (l), (m), and (n) to read as follows:

(k) The commissioners court of a participating county may adopt a resolution to end the low-income vehicle repair assistance, retrofit, and accelerated vehicle retirement program in the county. The commissioners court shall submit the resolution to the commission and to the county tax assessor-collector. The resolution must include a date after which a fee may not be imposed under Section 382.202 or 382.302 for the purposes of the county's low-income vehicle repair assistance, retrofit, and accelerated vehicle retirement program on vehicles being inspected or registered in the county. The date must be:

(1) the first day of a month; and

(2) at least 30 days after the date the resolution is submitted to the commission.

(l) On receipt of a resolution under Subsection (k), the commission shall notify, in writing, the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, the Department of Public Safety, and the Legislative Budget Board that a fee may not be imposed under Section 382.202 or 382.302 for the purposes of the county's low-income vehicle repair assistance, retrofit, and accelerated vehicle retirement program on vehicles being inspected or registered in the county after the date established under Subsection (k).

(m) In the first fiscal biennium that begins after a county adopts a resolution under Subsection (k), the legislature shall appropriate to the commission, for the sole purpose of returning the money to the county, any remaining money collected in the county from a fee authorized under Section 382.202 or 382.302 for the purposes of the county's low-income vehicle repair assistance, retrofit, and accelerated vehicle retirement program. This subsection does not apply to money collected from a fee authorized under Section 382.202 or 382.302 that the commission would otherwise have used for administrative purposes. The commission shall distribute to the county money appropriated to the commission for the county under this subsection.

(n) A county that receives a distribution of money under Subsection (m) may use the money for remaining expenses of the county's low-income vehicle repair assistance, retrofit, and accelerated vehicle retirement program or for any other purpose.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect December 1, 2017.