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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to vehicle registration. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 91.905, Natural Resources Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 91.905. APPLICATION OF OTHER LAW. Section 212.153(e), |
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Local Government Code, and Sections 203.092 and[,] 224.008, [and
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502.1981(c)(4),] Transportation Code, apply to saltwater pipeline |
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operators and saltwater pipeline facilities in the same manner as |
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they apply to utilities and utility facilities. |
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SECTION 2. Section 502.001(2), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(2) "Apportioned license plate" means a license plate |
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issued in lieu of a truck, motor bus, [license plate] or combination |
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license plate to a motor carrier in this state who proportionally |
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registers a vehicle owned or leased by the carrier in one or more |
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other states. |
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SECTION 3. Section 502.0023, Transportation Code, is |
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amended by amending Subsections (c) and (e) and adding Subsection |
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(c-1) to read as follows: |
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(c) In addition to the registration fees prescribed by this |
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chapter, an owner registering a commercial fleet under this section |
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shall pay: |
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(1) a one-time [an annual commercial fleet
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registration] fee of $10 per motor vehicle, semitrailer, or trailer |
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in the fleet; and |
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(2) except as provided by Subsection (e), a one-time |
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license plate manufacturing fee of $1.50 for each fleet motor |
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vehicle, semitrailer, or trailer license plate. |
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(c-1) A fee collected under Subsection (c) shall be |
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deposited to the credit of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles |
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fund. |
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(e) In addition to all other applicable registration fees, |
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an owner registering a commercial fleet under this section shall |
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pay a one-time license plate manufacturing fee of $8 for each set of |
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plates issued that includes on the legend the name or logo of the |
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business entity that owns the vehicle instead of the fee imposed by |
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Subsection (c)(2). A license plate manufacturing fee collected |
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under this section shall be deposited to the credit of the Texas |
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Department of Motor Vehicles fund. |
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SECTION 4. Section 502.040(b), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(b) The application must be accompanied by personal |
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identification as determined by department rule and made in a |
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manner prescribed by the department: |
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(1) through the county assessor-collector of the |
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county in which the owner resides; or |
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(2) if the office of that assessor-collector is |
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closed, or may be closed for a protracted period of time, as defined |
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by department rule, through a [if the county in which the owner
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resides has been declared by the governor as a disaster area,
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through the county assessor-collector of a county that is one of the
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closest unaffected counties to a county that asks for assistance
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and:
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[(A)
continues to be declared by the governor as
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a disaster area because the county has been rendered inoperable by
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the disaster; and
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[(B)
is inoperable for a protracted period of
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time; or
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[(3)
if the county assessor-collector's office in
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which the owner resides is closed for a protracted period of time as
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defined by the department, to the] county assessor-collector [of a
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county that borders the county in which the owner resides] who is |
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willing [agrees] to accept the application. |
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SECTION 5. Section 502.057, Transportation Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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Sec. 502.057. REGISTRATION RECEIPT. (a) The department |
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shall issue or require to be issued to the owner of a vehicle |
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registered under this chapter a registration receipt showing the |
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information required by rule. |
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(b) A receipt for the renewed registration of a vehicle |
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generated by an online registration system approved by the |
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department is proof of the vehicle's registration until the 31st |
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day after the date of renewal on the receipt. |
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SECTION 6. Section 502.060(b), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(b) No fee is required under this section if: |
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(1) the replacement fee for a license plate has been |
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paid under Section 504.007; or |
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(2) the county assessor-collector determines that the |
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owner paid for a registration insignia for the same registration |
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period that was mailed to the owner but not received by the owner. |
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SECTION 7. Section 502.091(b), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(b) The department may adopt and enforce rules to carry out |
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the International Registration Plan or other agreement under this |
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section. The rules may require an applicant to register under the |
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unified carrier registration system as defined by Section 643.001 |
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before the applicant applies for registration under the |
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International Registration Plan. |
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SECTION 8. Sections 502.146(a) and (h), Transportation |
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Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The department shall issue distinguishing [specialty] |
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license plates to a vehicle described by Subsection (b) or (c). The |
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fee for the license plates is $5 and shall be deposited to the |
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credit of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles fund. |
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(h) A distinguishing [specialty] license plate may not be |
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issued or renewed under Subsection (a) to an owner of a vehicle |
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described by Subsection (b)(1) unless the vehicle's owner provides |
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a registration number issued by the comptroller under Section |
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151.1551, Tax Code, or the vehicle is owned by a farmers' |
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cooperative society incorporated under Chapter 51, Agriculture |
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Code, or a marketing association organized under Chapter 52, |
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Agriculture Code. The comptroller shall allow access to the online |
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system established under Section 151.1551(l), Tax Code, to verify a |
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registration number provided under this subsection. |
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SECTION 9. Section 502.198, Transportation Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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Sec. 502.198. DISPOSITION OF FEES GENERALLY. (a) Except |
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as provided by Sections 502.058, 502.060, 502.1911, 502.192, |
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502.356, and 502.357 and Subchapter H, this section applies to all |
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fees collected by a county assessor-collector under this chapter. |
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(b) Each Tuesday [Monday], a county assessor-collector |
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shall credit to the county road and bridge fund an amount equal to |
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the net collections made during the preceding week until the amount |
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so credited for the calendar year equals the total of: |
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(1) $60,000; and |
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(2) $350 for each mile of county road maintained by the |
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county, according to the most recent information available from the |
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department, not to exceed 500 miles[; and
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[(3)
an additional amount of fees equal to the amount
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calculated under Section 502.1981]. |
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(c) After the credits to the county road and bridge fund |
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equal the total computed under Subsection (b), each Tuesday |
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[Monday] the county assessor-collector shall: |
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(1) credit to the county road and bridge fund an amount |
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equal to 50 percent of the net collections made during the preceding |
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week, until the amount so credited for the calendar year equals |
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$125,000; and |
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(2) send to the department an amount equal to 50 |
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percent of those collections for deposit to the credit of the state |
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highway fund. |
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(d) After the credits to the county road and bridge fund |
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equal the total amounts computed under Subsections (b) and (c)(1), |
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each Tuesday [Monday] the county assessor-collector shall send to |
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the department all collections made during the preceding week for |
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deposit to the credit of the state highway fund. |
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SECTION 10. Section 502.1983(a), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) A [Except as provided by Section 502.357, a] county |
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assessor-collector may: |
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(1) deposit the fees subject to Section 502.198 in an |
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interest-bearing account or certificate in the county depository; |
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and |
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(2) send the fees to the department not later than the |
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34th day after the date the fees are due under Section 502.198 |
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[502.357]. |
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SECTION 11. Section 502.433(a-1), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a-1) A commercial motor vehicle registration may not be |
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issued or renewed [registered] under this section unless the |
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vehicle's owner provides a registration number issued by the |
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comptroller under Section 151.1551, Tax Code. The comptroller |
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shall allow access to the online system established under Section |
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151.1551(l), Tax Code, to verify a registration number provided |
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under this subsection. |
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SECTION 12. Section 504.007, Transportation Code, is |
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amended by adding Subsection (g) to read as follows: |
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(g) No fee is required under this section if the county |
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assessor-collector determines that the owner paid for license |
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plates for the same vehicle that were mailed to the owner but not |
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received by the owner. |
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SECTION 13. Section 504.202(b), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(b) A veteran of the United States armed forces is entitled |
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to register, for the person's own use, motor vehicles under this |
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section if: |
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(1) the person has suffered, as a result of military |
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service: |
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(A) at least a 50 percent service-connected |
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disability; or |
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(B) a 40 percent service-connected disability |
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because of the amputation of a lower extremity; |
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(2) the person receives compensation from the United |
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States because of the disability; and |
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(3) the motor vehicle: |
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(A) is owned by the person; and |
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(B) has a gross vehicle weight of 18,000 pounds |
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or less or is a motor home. |
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SECTION 14. Section 520.006(a-1), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a-1) A county assessor-collector collecting fees on behalf |
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of a county assessor-collector whose office [that has been declared
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as a disaster area or that] is closed or may be closed for a |
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protracted period of time as defined by the department for purposes |
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of Section 501.023 or 502.040 may retain the commission for fees |
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collected, but shall allocate the fees to the county [declared as a
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disaster area or] that is closed or may be closed for a protracted |
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period of time. |
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SECTION 15. Section 623.144, Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 623.144. REGISTRATION OF VEHICLE. (a) A person may |
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not operate a vehicle permitted under this subchapter on a public |
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highway unless the vehicle is registered under Chapter 502 for the |
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maximum gross weight applicable to the vehicle under Section |
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621.101 or has distinguishing [specialty] license plates as |
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provided by Section 502.146 if applicable to the vehicle. |
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(b) The department may not issue distinguishing [specialty] |
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license plates to a vehicle described by Section 502.146(b)(3) |
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unless the applicant complies with the requirements of that |
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subsection. |
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SECTION 16. Sections 502.1585 and 502.1981, Transportation |
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Code, are repealed. |
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SECTION 17. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |