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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to vehicle safety inspections for vehicles registered in |
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certain counties; imposing a fee. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 382.0622(a), Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) Clean Air Act fees consist of: |
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(1) fees collected by the commission under Sections |
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382.062, 382.0621, 382.202, and 382.302 and as otherwise provided |
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by law; |
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(2) $2 from the portion of each fee collected for |
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inspections of vehicles other than mopeds and remitted to the state |
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under Sections 548.501 and 548.503, Transportation Code; [and] |
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(3) $6 from the portion of each fee collected for |
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inspections of vehicles other than mopeds and remitted to the state |
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under Section 548.5035, Transportation Code; and |
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(4) fees collected that are required under Section 185 |
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of the federal Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. Section 7511d). |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 548, Transportation Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 548.010 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 548.010. INSPECTION IN ANY COUNTY PERMITTED FOR |
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VEHICLES REGISTERED IN CERTAIN COUNTIES. Notwithstanding any other |
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law, a vehicle inspected under Section 548.1025 may be inspected in |
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any county. |
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SECTION 3. Section 548.101, Transportation Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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Sec. 548.101. GENERAL ONE-YEAR INSPECTION PERIOD. Except |
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as provided by Sections [Section] 548.102 and 548.1025, the |
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department shall require an annual inspection. The department |
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shall set the periods of inspection and may make rules with respect |
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to those periods. The rules must provide that: |
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(1) a vehicle owner shall [may] obtain any required |
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inspections [an inspection] not earlier than 90 days before the |
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date of expiration of the vehicle's registration; and |
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(2) a used motor vehicle sold by a dealer, as defined |
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by Section 503.001, must be inspected in the 180 days preceding the |
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date the dealer sells the vehicle. |
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SECTION 4. Section 548.102(a), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) Except as provided by Section 548.1025, the [The] |
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initial inspection period is two years for a passenger car or light |
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truck that: |
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(1) is sold in this state or purchased by a commercial |
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fleet buyer described by Section 501.0234(b)(4) for use in this |
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state; |
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(2) has not been previously registered in this or |
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another state; and |
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(3) on the date of sale is of the current or preceding |
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model year. |
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SECTION 5. Subchapter C, Chapter 548, Transportation Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 548.1025 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 548.1025. INSPECTION PERIOD FOR VEHICLES REGISTERED IN |
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CERTAIN COUNTIES. (a) This section applies only to a vehicle that |
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is registered in a county that has: |
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(1) a population of less than 10,000; and |
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(2) a total area of more than 2,000 square miles. |
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(b) The inspection period for a vehicle described by |
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Subsection (a) is three years. |
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(c) This section does not apply to the inspection period for |
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a: |
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(1) commercial motor vehicle inspection under |
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Subchapter D; or |
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(2) motor vehicle emissions inspection under |
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Subchapter F. |
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SECTION 6. Section 548.254, Transportation Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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Sec. 548.254. VALIDITY OF VEHICLE INSPECTION REPORT. The |
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department, and the conservation commission if necessary, by rule |
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shall establish the length of time a [A] vehicle inspection report |
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required by this chapter is valid [invalid after the end of the 12th |
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month following the month in which the report is issued]. |
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SECTION 7. Section 548.501(a), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) Except as provided by Sections 548.503, 548.5035, and |
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548.504, the fee for inspection of a motor vehicle other than a |
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moped is $12.50. The fee for inspection of a moped is $5.75. |
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SECTION 8. Subchapter H, Chapter 548, Transportation Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 548.5035 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 548.5035. FEE FOR THREE-YEAR INSPECTION OF VEHICLES |
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REGISTERED IN CERTAIN COUNTIES. (a) Except as provided by |
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Subsection (b), the fee for inspection of a vehicle under Section |
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548.1025 is $23.50. |
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(b) The fee for inspection of a moped under Section 548.1025 |
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is $16.75. |
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(c) Out of each fee for an inspection, $16.50 shall be |
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remitted to the state under Section 548.509. |
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SECTION 9. Section 548.505(a), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The department by rule may impose an inspection fee for |
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a vehicle inspected under Section 548.301(a) in addition to the fee |
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provided by Section 548.501, 548.502, 548.503, 548.5035, or |
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548.504. A fee imposed under this subsection must be based on the |
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costs of: |
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(1) providing inspections; and |
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(2) administering the program. |
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SECTION 10. Not later than March 1, 2022, the Texas |
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Department of Motor Vehicles shall adopt rules and update the |
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department's registration database and system as necessary to |
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ensure that an owner of a vehicle subject to Section 548.010, |
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Transportation Code, as added by this Act, is able to register or |
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renew registration of the vehicle without obtaining an annual |
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safety inspection of the vehicle. |
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SECTION 11. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this |
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section, this Act takes effect April 1, 2022. |
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(b) Section 10 of this Act takes effect December 1, 2021. |