BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 901

By: Hefner

Transportation

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Concerns have been raised regarding the large number of vehicle registrations withheld as a result of delinquency in the payment of a civil penalty imposed for a violation of a photographic traffic signal enforcement system. H.B. 901 seeks to address these concerns by prohibiting a county assessor-collector and the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles from refusing to register a vehicle solely because the vehicle owner is delinquent in a payment resulting from such a violation.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 901 amends the Transportation Code to remove the authorization for a county assessor-collector or the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) to refuse to register a motor vehicle alleged to have been involved in a violation of statutory provisions relating to photographic traffic signal enforcement systems if the vehicle's owner is delinquent in the payment of a civil penalty imposed for that violation. The bill prohibits a county assessor-collector or TxDMV from refusing to register a motor vehicle alleged to have been involved in such a violation solely because the owner of the motor vehicle is delinquent in the payment of the related civil penalty.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019.