S.B. No. 1729 is a legislative bill that amends various sections of the Health and Safety Code and the Transportation Code concerning vehicle registration and inspection fees in Texas. The bill reenacts and modifies Section 382.0622(a) to clarify the Clean Air Act fees, including the designation of amounts for the clean air account and the removal of certain previous fee descriptions. It also updates Section 382.202(d-2) to establish a three-year emissions inspection period for specific vehicles, contingent upon approval from the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Additionally, the bill amends Section 502.0026(b) to specify that all applicable fees are due at the time of registration.

Furthermore, the bill introduces a new vehicle registration period of 24 consecutive months for certain passenger cars and light trucks, as outlined in the newly added Subsection (a-1) of Section 502.044. It also modifies the inspection program replacement fee structure in Section 548.510, establishing a one-time fee of $16.75 for initial registrations under specific conditions and a $22.25 fee for vehicles registered under Section 502.0026. The bill repeals several sections of the Transportation Code that are no longer necessary, streamlining the vehicle registration and inspection process. The provisions of this act are set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Transportation Code 502.0026, Transportation Code 502.044, Transportation Code 548.510 (Transportation Code 548, Transportation Code 502)
Senate Committee Report: Transportation Code 502.0026, Transportation Code 502.044, Transportation Code 548.510 (Transportation Code 548, Transportation Code 502)
Engrossed: Transportation Code 502.0026, Transportation Code 502.044, Transportation Code 548.510 (Transportation Code 548, Transportation Code 502)
House Committee Report: Transportation Code 502.0026, Transportation Code 502.044, Transportation Code 548.510 (Transportation Code 548, Transportation Code 502)
Enrolled: Transportation Code 502.0026, Transportation Code 502.044, Transportation Code 548.510 (Transportation Code 548, Transportation Code 502)