BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center	H.B. 1959
	By: Thompson, Senfronia; Morrison, Geanie W. (Taylor, Larry)
	Transportation
	5/10/2017
	Engrossed

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Interested parties contend that the current procedure for commercial fleet vehicle registration and management is not only cumbersome and outdated, but often expensive for fleet owners, local governments, and law enforcement.

 

H.B. 1959 seeks to address this issue by requiring the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) to conduct a study that identifies and assesses alternative procedures for commercial vehicle registration, licensing, and permitting in Texas. H.B. 1959 authorizes TxDMV to collaborate with another state agency or a research division of an institution of higher education in Texas to conduct the study.

 

H.B. 1959 amends current law relating to a study by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles of alternative registration technologies for commercial motor vehicles.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 1003, Transportation Code, by adding Section 1003.006, as follows:

 

Sec. 1003.006. STUDY ON REGISTRATION OF COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLES. (a) Requires that the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV):

 

(1)  conduct a study that identifies and assesses alternative technologies for registering commercial motor vehicles to replace license plates, permits, and other existing documentation and registration methods currently in use in this state and evaluates the safety and suitability for use on roadways of certain technologies; and

 

(2)  submit a report on the results of the study to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the chair of the standing committee of each house of the legislature with primary jurisdiction over transportation issues not later than December 21, 2018.

 

(b) Authorizes TxDMV to collaborate with another state agency or a research division of an institution of higher education in this state to conduct the study.

 

(c) Provides that this section expires January 1, 2019.

 

SECTION 2. (a) Defines "department."

 

(b) Requires TxDMV, in consultation with a state agency or research division of an institution of higher education in this state, to establish a pilot program at no cost to the state that identifies, implements, and assesses alternative technologies to replace license plates, permits, and other existing documentation and registration methods currently in use for the registration of commercial motor vehicles in this state.

 

(c) Requires that the pilot program:

 

(1)  evaluate the safety and suitability of the alternative technologies identified under Subsection (b) of this section for use on roadways; and

 

(2)  be funded through contributions by participants who voluntarily opt into the pilot program.

 

(d) Requires TxDMV, not later than December 21, 2018, to submit a report on the results of the pilot program to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and presiding officer of each legislative standing committee with primary jurisdiction over transportation.

 

(e) Provides that this section expires January 1, 2019.

 

SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2017.