BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1001

By: Taylor, Larry

Transportation

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties contend that a broader range of trailer sizes should be exempt from certain vehicle inspection requirements. S.B. 1001 seeks to address this issue by revising the gross weight of a trailer that qualifies for the exemption, while also imposing a fee on certain of these exempt vehicles.

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

S.B. 1001 amends the Transportation Code to authorize the Department of Public Safety to authorize the acceptance in Texas of a certificate of inspection and approval issued by an inspector qualified under specified federal regulations acting as an employee or authorized agent of the owner of a commercial fleet and issued to a motor vehicle or trailer that is part of the fleet and registered or in the process of being registered in Texas. The bill increases from 4,500 pounds or less to 7,500 pounds or less the actual gross weight or registered gross weight of a trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, or mobile home that qualifies such a vehicle for the exemption from statutory provisions relating to the compulsory inspection of vehicles. The bill subjects a trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, or mobile home that has an actual gross weight or registered gross weight of more than 4,500 pounds to a fee in the amount of $7.50 and requires the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) or a county assessor-collector that registers such a vehicle to collect the fee at the time of registration of the vehicle and to remit the fee to the comptroller of public accounts. The bill requires $3.50 of each fee so remitted to be deposited to the credit of the Texas mobility fund, $2 of the fee to be deposited to the credit of the general revenue fund, and $2 of the fee to be deposited to the credit of the clean air account. The bill establishes that the fee is not motor vehicle registration fee and that the revenue collected from the fee is not required to be used for certain purposes specified by the Texas Constitution.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.