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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a study by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles of |
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alternative registration technologies for commercial motor |
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vehicles. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 1003, Transportation Code, is amended by |
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adding Section 1003.006 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 1003.006. STUDY ON REGISTRATION OF COMMERCIAL MOTOR |
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VEHICLES. (a) The department shall: |
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(1) conduct a study that: |
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(A) identifies and assesses alternative |
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technologies for registering commercial motor vehicles to replace |
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license plates, permits, and other existing documentation and |
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registration methods currently in use in this state; and |
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(B) evaluates the safety and suitability for use |
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on roadways of the technologies identified under Paragraph (A); and |
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(2) submit a report on the results of the study to the |
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governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of |
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representatives, and the chair of the standing committee of each |
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house of the legislature with primary jurisdiction over |
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transportation issues not later than December 21, 2018. |
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(b) The department may collaborate with another state |
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agency or a research division of an institution of higher education |
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in this state to conduct the study. |
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(c) This section expires January 1, 2019. |
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SECTION 2. (a) In this section, "department" means the |
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Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. |
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(b) The department, in consultation with a state agency or |
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research division of an institution of higher education in this |
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state, shall establish a pilot program at no cost to the state that |
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identifies, implements, and assesses alternative technologies to |
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replace license plates, permits, and other existing documentation |
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and registration methods currently in use for the registration of |
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commercial motor vehicles in this state. |
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(c) The pilot program must: |
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(1) evaluate the safety and suitability of the |
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alternative technologies identified under Subsection (b) of this |
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section for use on roadways; and |
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(2) be funded through contributions by participants |
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who voluntarily opt into the pilot program. |
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(d) Not later than December 21, 2018, the department shall |
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submit a report on the results of the pilot program to the governor, |
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lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and |
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presiding officer of each legislative standing committee with |
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primary jurisdiction over transportation. |
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(e) This section expires January 1, 2019. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |