CHAPTER 726. TESTING AND INSPECTION OF MOTOR VEHICLES BY CERTAIN MUNICIPALITIES - Texas Statutes

TRANSPORTATION CODE

TITLE 7. VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC

SUBTITLE J. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

CHAPTER 726. TESTING AND INSPECTION OF MOTOR VEHICLES BY CERTAIN

MUNICIPALITIES

Sec. 726.001. APPLICABILITY. (a) This chapter applies only to

a municipality with a population of more than 290,000.

(b) This section or an ordinance adopted under this section does

not apply to a motor vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer operated

under a registration certificate issued under Chapter 643.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 30.166, eff. Sept.

1, 1997.

Sec. 726.002. TESTING AND INSPECTION OF MOTOR VEHICLES. A

municipality may adopt an ordinance:

(1) requiring each resident of the municipality, including a

corporation having its principal office or place of business in

the municipality, who owns a motor vehicle used for the

transportation of persons or property and each person operating a

motor vehicle on the public thoroughfares of the municipality to

have each motor vehicle owned or operated, as appropriate, tested

and inspected not more than four times in each calendar year;

(2) requiring each motor vehicle involved in an accident to be

tested and inspected before it may be operated on the public

thoroughfares of the municipality; or

(3) requiring that a motor vehicle operated on the public

thoroughfares of the municipality be tested, inspected, and

approved by the testing and inspecting authority.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Sec. 726.003. MOTOR VEHICLE TESTING STATIONS; TESTING AND

INSPECTION FEE. (a) A municipality may acquire, establish,

improve, operate, and maintain motor vehicle testing stations and

pay for the stations from fees charged for testing and inspecting

motor vehicles.

(b) A municipality may impose a fee for the testing and

inspecting of a motor vehicle. The fee may not exceed $1 a year.

Fees collected under this subsection shall be placed in a

separate fund from which may be paid the costs in connection with

automotive and safety education programs and the acquisition,

establishment, improvement, operation, and maintenance of the

testing stations.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Sec. 726.004. FINANCING OF MOTOR VEHICLE TESTING STATIONS. (a)

A municipality may borrow money to finance all or part of the

cost of the acquisition, establishment, improvement, or repair of

motor vehicle testing stations and may pledge all or part of the

fees or other receipts derived from the operation of the stations

for payment of principal and interest on the loan.

(b) A municipality may encumber a testing station, including

things acquired pertaining to the station, to secure the payment

of funds to construct all or part of the station or to improve,

operate, or maintain the station. An encumbrance is not a debt of

the municipality but is solely a charge on the property

encumbered and may not be considered in determining the power of

the municipality to issue bonds.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.