BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 198

By: Noble

Homeland Security & Public Safety

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Due to the size and weight of travel trailers, owners are often burdened with the task of getting their trailer inspected. This requirement is duplicative as the owner must first already personally conduct a self-inspection of the trailer before transporting it to the inspection station. Moreover, it is difficult for many owners to even find an inspection station to perform the inspection as many stations cannot accommodate the size and shape of the trailer in addition to the vehicle pulling it. C.S.H.B. 198 seeks to exempt from this inspection requirement the owner of a travel trailer who conducts a self-inspection and submits an affidavit at the time of registration that the trailer is in proper and safe condition and compliant with all applicable rules and requirements.

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

C.S.H.B. 198 amends the Transportation Code to establish that a travel trailer that is not exempt from vehicle safety inspection requirements on the basis of gross weight meets the applicable safety inspection requirements if the owner submits an affidavit to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) or the county tax assessor-collector at the time of the trailer's registration stating the following:

· the owner has inspected the trailer during the general one-year inspection period; and

· the trailer is in proper and safe condition and complies with applicable vehicle inspection rules and requirements.

The bill clarifies the applicability of provisions relating to registration for certain exempted vehicles to a travel trailer whose owner has submitted such an affidavit in lieu of a safety inspection. The bill establishes that it is the intent of the legislature that TxDMV and the Department of Public Safety (DPS) implement the bill's provisions using money appropriated to those agencies that may be spent for that purpose.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023.

COMPARISON OF INTRODUCED AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 198 may differ from the introduced in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

The substitute includes a provision that was not in the introduced stating that it is the legislature's intent that TxDMV and DPS implement the bill's provisions using money appropriated to those agencies that may be spent for that purpose.