Bill Text: TX SB1451 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Engrossed

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Relating to the disputed payment by a credit card or debit card of a vehicle registration fee.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2015-05-23 - Effective on 9/1/15 [SB1451 Detail]

Download: Texas-2015-SB1451-Engrossed.html

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By: Ellis S.B. No. 1451
(In the Senate - Filed March 12, 2015; March 19, 2015, read
first time and referred to Committee on Transportation;
April 9, 2015, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 9,
Nays 0; April 9, 2015, sent to printer.)

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the disputed payment by a credit card or debit card of a
vehicle registration fee.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 502, Transportation Code,
is amended by adding Section 502.1931 to read as follows:
Sec. 502.1931. DISPUTED PAYMENT BY CREDIT CARD OR DEBIT
CARD. (a) A county assessor-collector who receives from any
person a payment by credit card or debit card for a registration fee
for a registration year that has not ended that is returned unpaid
because the payment by the credit card or debit card has been
disputed by the credit card or debit card company shall certify the
fact to the sheriff or a constable or highway patrol officer in the
county after attempts to contact the person fail to result in the
collection of payment. The certification must be made before the
30th day after the date the assessor-collector is made aware that
the credit card or debit card payment has been disputed and:
(1) be under the assessor-collector's official seal;
(2) include the name and address of the person who
authorized the credit card or debit card payment;
(3) include the license plate number and make of the
vehicle;
(4) be accompanied by evidence from the credit card or
debit card company that the company has determined that it will not
make payment on the disputed credit card or debit card charge; and
(5) be accompanied by documentation of any attempt to
contact the person and collect payment.
(b) On receiving a complaint under Subsection (a) from the
county assessor-collector, the sheriff, constable, or highway
patrol officer shall find the person who authorized the credit card
or debit card payment, if the person is in the county, and demand
immediate redemption of payment from the person. If the person
fails or refuses to redeem the payment, the sheriff, constable, or
highway patrol officer shall:
(1) seize and remove the license plates and
registration insignia from the vehicle; and
(2) return the license plates and registration
insignia to the assessor-collector.
SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only
to a payment of a registration fee submitted to a county
assessor-collector on or after the effective date of this Act. A
payment submitted before the effective date of this Act is governed
by the law in effect on the date the payment was submitted, and the
former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
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