RESULTS OF THE 81ST LEGISLATURE
CLICK HERE for more bills that go into effect Sept 1, 2009
These are the bills that passed and are affective Sept. 1, 2009:
HB 2571 – This bill has the biggest impact on the towing industry. It changes the definition of a nonconsensual tow and does some other clean up language on the tow hearings. The biggest issue is the regulation of towing rates for PRIVATE PROPERTY TOWS. I am concerned about the talk on Tow 411 that I saw. If towing folks raise their IM tow fees up to levels that are not appropriate and out of line for a towing fee, they will be putting all the rest of us in jeopardy of being regulated at the state level, too. If this industry continues to act irresponsibility then we will all PAY for the acts of others. It is imperative that the industry be engaged in the process this go round on rules with TDLR. We must get this right!
Find Judicial Court information HERE!
SB 702 – This is the clean up bill that allows for a trainee license, duel license and some exemptions under the law. This truly was just to address issues that arose at TDLR with the industry.
SB543 – This impacts lien laws for mechanic liens and does NOT impact VSF lien issues under the Occupations Code.
SB 1093 – This is a gross vehicle weight bill that DPS wanted.
SB 1143 – This bill is about employee liability concerning group health.
SB 1095 – This bill moves automotive parts recyclers to TDLR
HB 2310 – This bill gives TDLR powers to remove Advisory Board members and to issue emergency orders by the Executive Director
HB 2346 – This bill is about illegally parked vehicles in urban areas
HB 2020 – This bill is about parking privileges for Vets
HB 2012 – This bill is about issues of no insurance
HB 400 – This bill is a bill about parking in a disabled space
HB 586 - This bill is about release of a motor vehicle for no insurance
HB 2548 – This bill adds members to all Advisory Boards under TDLR
SB 52 – This bill is about illegal parking and disabled placards
HB 3095 – This bill is about disabled spaces, too.
SB 1328 – This bill is about first responders and vaccines
SB 80 – This bill is about small employer health benefits
SB 481 – This bill is about contract carriers
HB 2438 – This bill is about used car sales
SB 1617 – This bill is about used car sales – titles
SB 1759/HB 3433 - This bill is about fleet registrations ( over 15 vehicles)
HB 2553- This bill is about off road vehicles and golf carts
HB 1831 – This bill is about disaster preparedness
HB 55 – This bill is about use of cell phones in school zones
SB 2153 – This bill is about booting of vehicles and will add them under TDLR in our chapter
A few bills didn’t make it through the process that we wanted like HB 869 that would have been a very good bill for us which would allow us to stop on the roadway to do our job. And we did get the definition of a crane changed so it would not include tow trucks but it didn’t make it – Hb 1807.
We also killed a bill that would have let insurance companies just come get vehicles from us without any knowledge by the owner of the vehicle.
We tried to negotiate a bill to cape a fee that a political subdivision can add on to a non consent tow and to make absolutely sure that the fee would be a pass through and that the vsf didn’t have to pay anything to anyone. It became too much of a fight and we had “bigger fish to fry”. We will regret not doing this in the future!!
YOU CAN GO TO http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/Home.aspx and put in the bill number to view the complete bill.