This section lets the county charge a notice-related administrative cost for unpaid tolls, requires notices to be sent on time, and makes failure to pay after notice an offense.
Sec. 284.0701. ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS; NOTICE; OFFENSE. (a) In the event of an offense committed under Section 284.070, on issuance of a written notice of nonpayment, the registered owner of the nonpaying vehicle is liable for the payment of both the proper toll and an administrative cost. (b) The county may impose and collect the administrative cost so as to recover the expense of collecting the unpaid toll, not to exceed $100. The county shall send a written notice of nonpayment to the registered owner of the vehicle at that owner's address as shown in the vehicle registration records of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles by first-class mail not later than the 30th day after the date of the alleged failure to pay and may require payment not sooner than the 30th day after the date the notice was mailed. The registered owner shall pay a separate toll and administrative cost for each event of nonpayment under Section 284.070. (c) The registered owner of a vehicle for which the proper toll was not paid who is mailed a written notice of nonpayment under Subsection (b) and fails to pay the proper toll and administrative cost within the time specified by the notice of nonpayment commits an offense. Each failure to pay a toll or administrative cost under this subsection is a separate offense. (d) It is an exception to the application of Subsection (a) or (c) if the registered owner of the vehicle is a lessor of the vehicle and not later than the 30th day after the date the notice of nonpayment is mailed provides to the authority: (1) a copy of the rental, lease, or other contract document covering the vehicle on the date of the nonpayment under Section 284.070, with the name and address of the lessee clearly legible; or (2) electronic data, other than a photocopy or scan of a rental or lease contract, that contains the information required under Sections 521.460(c)(1), (2), and (3) covering the vehicle on the date of the nonpayment under Section 284.070. (d-1) If the lessor provides the required information within the period prescribed under Subsection (d), the authority may send a notice of nonpayment to the lessee at the address provided under Subsection (d) by first class mail before the 30th day after the date of receipt of the required information from the lessor. The lessee of the vehicle for which the proper toll was not paid who is mailed a written notice of nonpayment under this subsection and fails to pay the proper toll and administrative cost within the time specified by the notice of nonpayment commits an offense. The lessee shall pay a separate toll and administrative cost for each event of nonpayment. Each failure to pay a toll or administrative cost under this subsection is a separate offense. (e) It is an exception to the application of Subsection (a) or (c) if the registered owner of the vehicle transferred ownership of the vehicle to another person before the event of nonpayment under Section 284.070 occurred, submitted written notice of the transfer to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles in accordance with Section 501.147, and before the 30th day after the date the notice of nonpayment is mailed, provides to the county the name and address of the person to whom the vehicle was transferred. If the former owner of the vehicle provides the required information within the period prescribed, the county may send a notice of nonpayment to the person to whom ownership of the vehicle was transferred at the address provided by the former owner by first-class mail before the 30th day after the date of receipt of the required information from the former owner. The subsequent owner of the vehicle for which the proper toll was not paid who is mailed a written notice of nonpayment under this subsection and fails to pay the proper toll and administrative cost within the time specified by the notice of nonpayment commits an offense. The subsequent owner shall pay a separate toll and administrative cost for each event of nonpayment under Section 284.070. Each failure to pay a toll or administrative cost under this subsection is a separate offense. (f) An offense under this section is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed $250. (g) The court in which a person is convicted of an offense under this section shall also collect the proper toll and administrative cost and forward the toll and cost to the county. (h) In this section, "registered owner" means the owner of a vehicle as shown on the vehicle registration records of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles or the analogous department or agency of another state or country. Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 372, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003. Amended by: Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 918 (H.B. 2983), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2009. Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 933 (H.B. 3097), Sec. 2C.01, eff. September 1, 2009. Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 161 (S.B. 1093), Sec. 20.003, eff. September 1, 2013.