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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the collection of unpaid tolls by a regional tollway |
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authority. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 366.178, Transportation Code, is amended |
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by amending Subsections (c), (d), and (e) and adding Subsection |
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(c-1) to read as follows: |
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(c) If a person fails to pay a [the] proper toll, [:
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[(1)] on issuance of a monthly notice of nonpayment, |
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the registered owner of the nonpaying vehicle shall pay both any |
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unpaid tolls [the proper toll] and an [the] administrative fee[;
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and
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[(2)
an authority may charge an administrative fee of
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not more than $100 to recover the cost of collecting the unpaid
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toll]. |
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(c-1) An authority may charge an administrative fee of not |
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more than $25 to recover the cost of collecting unpaid tolls. The |
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authority may charge only one administrative fee for each notice of |
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nonpayment that is sent to the registered owner of the nonpaying |
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vehicle. |
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(d) Notice of nonpayment under Subsection (c) [(c)(1)] |
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shall be sent by first-class mail. The notice shall include the |
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tolls the registered owner of the nonpaying vehicle failed to pay |
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during the 30-day period immediately before the date the notice is |
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sent. A notice of nonpayment [and] may not require payment of the |
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unpaid tolls [proper toll] and the administrative fee before the |
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30th day after the date the notice is mailed. [The registered owner
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shall pay a separate toll and administrative fee for each
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nonpayment.] |
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(e) If the registered owner of the vehicle fails to pay the |
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unpaid tolls [proper toll] and the administrative fee in the time |
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specified by the notice, the owner shall be cited as for other |
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traffic violations as provided by law, and the owner shall pay a |
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fine of not more than $250 for [each] nonpayment of the tolls and |
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administrative fee included in the notice. |
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SECTION 2. Section 366.178(b), Transportation Code, is |
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repealed. |
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SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is |
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governed by the law in effect when the offense was committed, and |
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the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For |
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purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the |
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effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred |
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before that date. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |