HBA-DMH H.B. 1777 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1777
By: Brimer
Transportation
3/8/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Tow truck drivers sometime use a door-unlocking device to enter a locked
vehicle.  Under current law, registered tow truck companies may hire
individuals who have a theft-related criminal conviction.  House Bill 1777
requires the Texas Department of Transportation to deny registration to a
tow truck carrier if the carrier employs a person to operate a tow truck
who has a specified criminal conviction, and to deny the application of a
vehicle storage facility if the facility employs any person that has been
convicted of a specified felony or misdemeanor in the ten years preceding
the date of the application. 

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 1777 amends the Transportation Code to require the Texas
Department of Transportation (department) to deny the registration of any
tow truck carrier who has or who employs another person to operate a tow
truck who has a criminal conviction involving theft or burglary of a
business, residence, or automobile.   

The bill amends the Vehicle Storage Facility Act to provide that the
department is required to approve an application to operate a vehicle
storage facility unless specified persons, including any person employed by
the vehicle storage facility, has been convicted of a specified offense in
the 10, rather than 3, years preceding the date of the application. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.