HBA-MSH H.B. 1368 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1368
By: Callegari
Transportation
3/18/2001
Committee Report (Amended)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, a person wishing to register a vehicle for use during
emergencies by a nonprofit disaster relief organization is required to
provide a statement by the county sheriff that the vehicle has not been
used for any purpose other than emergencies. The sheriff is not required to
inspect the vehicle or investigate how the vehicle is used. House Bill 1368
removes the requirement to obtain a statement from the sheriff to register
a vehicle for use by a nonprofit disaster relief organization and adds a
provision requiring the owner of the vehicle to provide a written statement
that the vehicle has been used only for emergencies.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 1368 amends the Transportation Code to require the owner of a
vehicle, rather than the sheriff of the county in which the vehicle is
registered, to provide a written statement that the vehicle has not been
used for any other purpose other than emergencies on an application to
register a vehicle used by a nonprofit disaster relief organizations.  

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001. 

EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS

Committee Amendment No. 1 provides that an application to register a
vehicle used by a nonprofit disaster relief organization must to include a
signed statement from an officer of the nonprofit disaster relief
organization that uses the vehicle that the vehicle has not been used for
any purpose other than emergencies and qualifies for registration as a
vehicle used by a nonprofit disaster relief organization.