| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to delinquent motor vehicle registrations and |
|
|
inspections; authorizing a change in the amount of a fee. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Sections 502.045(d) and (e), Transportation |
|
|
Code, are amended to read as follows: |
|
|
(d) A person who has been arrested or received a citation |
|
|
for a violation of Section 502.472 may register the vehicle being |
|
|
operated at the time of the offense for a 12-month period without |
|
|
change to the initial month of registration only if the person: |
|
|
(1) meets the other requirements for registration |
|
|
under this chapter; and |
|
|
(2) as applicable, pays [an additional charge equal to
|
|
|
20 percent of] the appropriate [prescribed] fee established under |
|
|
Section 502.360. |
|
|
(e) The board by rule shall adopt a list of evidentiary |
|
|
items sufficient to establish good reason for delinquent |
|
|
registration under Subsection (b) and provide for the evidence that |
|
|
may be used to establish good reason under that subsection. The |
|
|
rules must require the evidence to include an affidavit stating the |
|
|
reason. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 502.048, Transportation Code, is amended |
|
|
to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 502.048. PROOF OF SAFETY INSPECTION REQUIRED; REFUSAL |
|
|
TO REGISTER UNSAFE VEHICLE. (a) The department may not register a |
|
|
vehicle unless the vehicle has complied with the safety inspection |
|
|
requirements of Chapter 548. |
|
|
(b) The department may refuse to register a motor vehicle |
|
|
and may cancel, suspend, or revoke a registration if the department |
|
|
determines that a motor vehicle is unsafe, improperly equipped, or |
|
|
otherwise unfit to be operated on a public highway. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Subchapter G, Chapter 502, Transportation Code, |
|
|
is amended by adding Section 502.360 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 502.360. DELINQUENT REGISTRATION FEE. The board by |
|
|
rule shall establish a delinquent registration fee schedule for |
|
|
applicants for registration who are delinquent under Section |
|
|
502.045 without good reason under that section and register a |
|
|
vehicle later than the fifth day after the expiration date of the |
|
|
vehicle's registration period. The fee schedule established under |
|
|
this section must include an increase in the delinquent |
|
|
registration fee on the first day of each month after the month |
|
|
during which a registration becomes delinquent. The board may |
|
|
determine the amount of the increase. |
|
|
SECTION 4. Section 548.101, Transportation Code, is amended |
|
|
to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 548.101. GENERAL ONE-YEAR INSPECTION PERIOD. Except |
|
|
as provided by Section 548.102, the department shall require an |
|
|
annual inspection. The department shall set the periods of |
|
|
inspection and may make rules with respect to those periods. The |
|
|
department shall adopt rules that require the new inspection period |
|
|
of a vehicle that is inspected after the expiration date of the |
|
|
vehicle's inspection period to end as if the vehicle was inspected |
|
|
before the expiration date. |
|
|
SECTION 5. Section 548.501, Transportation Code, is amended |
|
|
by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows: |
|
|
(c) The department shall adopt rules that increase the fee |
|
|
for inspection of a vehicle that is inspected later than the fifth |
|
|
day after the expiration date of the vehicle's inspection period. |
|
|
The rules adopted under this subsection must include an increase on |
|
|
the first day of each month after the month in which the expiration |
|
|
date occurred. |
|
|
SECTION 6. Section 548.505, Transportation Code, is amended |
|
|
by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows: |
|
|
(c) The department shall adopt rules that increase the fee |
|
|
for inspection of a vehicle that is inspected under Section |
|
|
548.301(a) later than the fifth day after the expiration date of the |
|
|
vehicle's inspection period. The rules adopted under this |
|
|
subsection must include an increase on the first day of each month |
|
|
after the month in which the expiration date occurred. |
|
|
SECTION 7. Not later than December 1, 2013, the Texas |
|
|
Department of Motor Vehicles shall adopt the rules required by: |
|
|
(1) Section 502.045(e), Transportation Code, as |
|
|
amended by this Act, and Section 502.360, Transportation Code, as |
|
|
added by this Act; and |
|
|
(2) Section 548.101, Transportation Code, as amended |
|
|
by this Act, and Sections 548.501(c) and 548.505(c), Transportation |
|
|
Code, as added by this Act. |
|
|
SECTION 8. This Act takes effect January 1, 2014. |