Thread: Texas Senate votes to end state vehicle inspections

Texas Senate votes to end state vehicle inspections

By Mike Ward
Updated 7:21 am, Friday, May 5, 2017

AUSTIN — The Texas Senate on Thursday voted to give those pesky annual state vehicle inspections the boot.

By a vote of 27-4, after lengthy debate, lawmakers approved Senate Bill 1588 that would drop the current mandate that all personal vehicles undergo annual state safety inspections.

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Commercial vehicles still would have to have them, and vehicles in 17 counties including those in the Houston metro that have air-quality restrictions would have to pass emissions tests.

"This is a tax cut that Texans will feel," said state Sen. Don Huffines, a Dallas Republican who authored the measure. "It will save Texans $130 million they're now having to pay for a procedure that has proven to have no discernible safety benefit to drivers."

For most drivers, the annual savings from the change -- if the House approves the bill — will be $7.

Huffines said that more than nine million man hours are spent on the inspections, which affect more than 50,000 Texans a day.

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The change, which would take effect in March 2018, changes a statewide policy imposed in 1951.

By the early 1970s, 31 state had mandatory vehicle inspections.

After a federal mandate for those inspections ended in 1976, states began to repeal their requirements, as well.

Huffines said only 15 states, including Texas, now require annual vehicle inspections.

Sen. Eddie Lucio, D-Brownsville, was among those who opposed the measure. Amendments he proposed to retain vehicle inspections them failed.

"If this bill passes, I'm going to have trouble sleeping knowing that there will be thousands of dangerous vehicles on the road," Lucio told colleagues during an emotional but unsuccessful plea to defeat Huffines' bill.

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Sen. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston, echoed the concerns.

"What happens if people can't maintain their cars at the level they should?" she asked. "I don't think that's good for everyday Texans ... because you're setting this up where even more people can get tickets."

Huffines dismissed the criticism, saying that other states that have repealed their mandatory inspection programs have seen no such problems emerge.

"I look at this as an unnecessary procedure that should be eliminated," said Huffines, a conservative Republican who favors limited government and less red tape.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/pol...e-11122193.php

I SO LOVE TEXAS!! TEXAS YOU ARE THE BEST!! GOD BLESS TEXAS!!!

Now get rid of the pesky annual vehicle registration and see how great your lives become without that foolish practice. Title says who owns the car or vehicle until they sell it. There is no purpose whatsoever to annual vehicle registration. None whatsoever.

Originally Posted by Judy

I SO LOVE TEXAS!! TEXAS YOU ARE THE BEST!! GOD BLESS TEXAS!!!

Now get rid of the pesky annual vehicle registration and see how great your lives become without that foolish practice. Title says who owns the car or vehicle until they sell it. There is no purpose whatsoever to annual vehicle registration. None whatsoever.

Not only that but people who move a lot have to keep registering their vehicles over and over again...and if there is a year on the old registration from the old State...too bad...no refund! Then you have to pay again...and get another Driver's License and pay for that too!

I would rather have a National Driver's License with Photo ID...good for 5 years in ALL States and renewable in the current State you live in. Also use it for the VOTER ID LAW and get that passed before next election!!!

Originally Posted by Beezer

Not only that but people who move a lot have to keep registering their vehicles over and over again...and if there is a year on the old registration from the old State...too bad...no refund! Then you have to pay again...and get another Driver's License and pay for that too!

I would rather have a National Driver's License with Photo ID...good for 5 years in ALL States and renewable in the current State you live in. Also use it for the VOTER ID LAW and get that passed before next election!!!

It's a money racket, and a method of authoritarian control, keeping the little sheep in the fold, doing what they're told or else! Americans must reject this bureaucratic nonsense. I'm so thrilled to see Texas at least saying NO MORE to the stupid inspections, registrations will be next out the door.

Originally Posted by Judy

I SO LOVE TEXAS!! TEXAS YOU ARE THE BEST!! GOD BLESS TEXAS!!!

Now get rid of the pesky annual vehicle registration and see how great your lives become without that foolish practice. Title says who owns the car or vehicle until they sell it. There is no purpose whatsoever to annual vehicle registration. None whatsoever.

The fees go to pay for the highways and roads.

TxDMV.GOV - Register Your Vehicle
www.txdmv.gov/motorists/register-your-vehicle/
Your vehicle registration sticker displays your license plate number, county of ... 100 percent of your base registration fee goes directly to the State Highway Fund for the ... and county services; creation of annual renewal notices; registration stickers; .... The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles offers the opportunity to include ...

. . . Registration Fee: The registration fee is comprised of the base registration fee for your vehicle type and $1 for the maintenance and operations of the Insurance Verification Project (TexasSure). 100 percent of your base registration fee goes directly to the State Highway Fund for the construction and maintenance of the state’s transportation system. For more information, please see our current registration fee chart at the bottom of this page. . .

http://www.txdmv.gov/motorists/register-your-vehicle/

No that is not a valid purpose for registration. Raise your sales tax, your gas tax, your income tax, your inventory tax, do something intelligent instead of run every car owner all over creation registering a car every year that you already know they own.

Vehicles may be registered in the following ways:

Online

Renew Your Registration Online and Receive a $1.00 Discount!

Your vehicle registration may be renewed online 90 days before the expiration date or up to six months after the expiration date, if you have not received a citation for expired registration. Your expiration month will not change.

There is a two business day payment processing hold before your sticker is printed. It may take up to one week before your registration sticker is mailed.

You can track the status of your registration sticker by visiting www.txdmv.gov/track.



Renew Your Registration Online!


By Mail

Registration renewal notices are mailed to all registered vehicle owners.

To register by mail, send the following to your county tax office:

• Renewal notice (keep the vehicle owner's section for your records)
• A copy of your Vehicle Inspection Report (VIR) – (a copy can be obtained at www.mytxcar.org)
• Proof of current liability insurance
• All fees listed on your renewal notice (please see FEES tab for more information)

​

In Person

To register your vehicle in person, take your registration renewal notice and proof of current liability insurance to your county or an approved substation.

If you did not receive your renewal notice, you can renew your registration using your:

• License plate number
• Vehicle identification number, or
• Registration receipt from the previous year.

Most inspection records are available in real time, but there may be instances when the record is not immediately available. If your vehicle passed inspection but the system is unable to electronically verify it, you may present the passing VIR you received from the inspection station to the county at the time of renewal. If you need to show proof of inspection to complete your vehicle’s registration renewal, visit www.mytxcar.org to download, display electronically, or print a copy of the document. Your inspection will be verified manually, and you will be permitted to renew your vehicle registration.

Some counties allow renewals at substations or subcontractors, such as a participating grocery store.

If you are renewing your registration at a county subcontractor location, such as your local grocery store, they may not accept your VIR as proof of inspection. Each county determines whether their subcontractors can verify inspection via VIR. If a subcontractor is not permitted to verify via VIR, you will be directed to the county tax office to complete your renewal.

Acceptable forms of payment vary by county. Contact your county tax office for more details.

http://www.txdmv.gov/motorists/register-your-vehicle/

Just a stupid scheme to get money and keep the sheep in line.