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Let me guess what the solution might be. There will be an exemption for vehicles as long as they are out of state. Naturally, since the fee is levied at the same time as the registration, everyone, including those out of state will have to pay the state's portion of the inspection fee. This is a win-win for the state. Not only did they not levy an additional tax, they are claiming that this is revenue neutral. The only difference is the state gets its cut of an inspection that never took place. You and I get to pay for it, too. Win-win!

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You know the magician isn't supposed to reveal the secret of the trick. Most magic tricks as you may know are base on the principal of slight of hand. HMMMM!

 

Oh yeah as many as possible will take credit for doing it that way to help us. Therefore it is a good thing.

Edited by bigjim
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A negative to no inspection sticker is that law enforcement can not tell by looking that a vehicle is out of compliance and must look it up on the computer.

But that isn't 100% accurate. Except for the 90 day window, if the vehicle doesn't pass the inspection, it won't be registered either and that sticker will still be on the windshield. I would also venture to say that "most" people will not run out and get their cars inspected much earlier than required. Just like they do now, and especially those with vehicles that are questionable, they will wait till the last minute :)

 

Let me guess what the solution might be. There will be an exemption for vehicles as long as they are out of state. Naturally, since the fee is levied at the same time as the registration, everyone, including those out of state will have to pay the state's portion of the inspection fee. This is a win-win for the state. Not only did they not levy an additional tax, they are claiming that this is revenue neutral. The only difference is the state gets its cut of an inspection that never took place. You and I get to pay for it, too. Win-win!

Oh come on. Do you really think the state is going to reap millions of dollars in this "additional tax" from out of state vehicles? And since we have all been paying for inspections already, how is this a "levy of an additional tax"? Do you honestly think this was their intent? I don't since, so far, there is no exception for those put of state vehicles, so how could that be the motive? I love conspiracy theories :ph34r: but that is a bit of a stretch.

Edited by Big5er

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I believe that, for a change, in this instance it's NOT "all about the money". Anybody that's moved to Texas from a state where they have a serious safety inspection program will tell you that you don't get much of an inspection here. If your brakes worked well enough that you stopped short of driving through the front of the inspection station's building when you pulled up, none of your bulbs are burned out, your tires aren't bald, your wipers wipe and your horn blows, you're probably going to pass. The reason that there's not much more than that getting checked is because the state-mandated inspection fee is so LOW. There just isn't a whole lot of money involved in it, for the inspection station or the state.

 

I'm inclined to agree with Big5er -- someone in Austin came up with the idea of combining the two stickers into one, and it sounded like a brilliant idea to most everyone there -- something so obviously advantageous that it never occurred to anyone involved that any right-thinking person could oppose it. The revisions were then drafted, introduced, and passed with little or no opposition . . . with no thought whatsoever given to the thousands of people and businesses that would be severely impacted by the impracticality of the new procedure on vehicles that, for whatever reason, have to be registered here but operated outside of the jurisdiction for extended periods of time.

Phil

 

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I think the main issue is that this was listed more as simply a "consolidation" of windshield stickers, more than anything else. I think that is how the "details" got over looked. Every one said "One sticker? Oh that is better." and just voted "yes".

This is exactly the way I read things. It happens a great deal in most legislative bodies. It looks like an easy, non-confrontational issue to use to get things to tell the voters that the legislator can claim to have accomplished. He then acts with no study at all.

 

I am amazed at the way some members seem to take great pleasure in trying to find things to criticize about the "club." ^_^

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Under the new rules if you have a registration sticker that is within the date required, they would know that it had been inspected within 90 days or less. When I last got my fiver and truck inspected, October 2013, all the young lady did was confirm the serial number on the dash and, while I sat in the truck and turned the lights on, turn signals on and off and tapped the breaks as she walked around and made sure that they all worked. That will be $29 ($14.50 each) and have a nice day.

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Escapees is a business NOT a club, period. And part of their presentation when we joined was they were at the forefront of being a voice for RVers and the lobbying they did in Texas to get the address recognized as a legal address. If that is part of your selling pitch and then you are not providing that service, you should expect to have people question how it slipped by.

 

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The Tx legislature isn't always on top of everything, the feds are not always on top of everything, the churches are not always on top of everything, I am not always on top of everything, you are not always on top of everything. Don't you think you may be holding escapees to a ridiculiously high standard? There is nothing wrong with questioning them, do it myself but it doesn't have to come across as an attack. We just got a response. Change won't be instantaneous. If I get any evidence that escapees is deliberatly withholding information then I may change my tune but for now I intend to give them a chance without beating on them. That is how I see it.

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Travis,

 

Thank you for the update on the new law. I would like to request that you start a new "stickie" thread in the appropriate forum to keep us all updated on this law and your advocacy efforts to get it changed/modified on our behalf. Or perhaps better yet, include an infobox on the Escapees home page where it can be more easily seen, not just by us but by anyone in government who might be visiting the site to learn about Escapees and our concerns.

 

From what I've read so far about this new law, it will significantly affect the lifestyles, and perhaps livelihoods, of many fulltime RVers. It may cause me to seek another state as domicile. I think it's time to step up the information campaign significantly.

 

Thank you!

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Roamer, Travis won't likely see that post since he usually only visits the forums when there are reports. Not a bad idea though, if you click the report button on your post and ask him to consider it he will see it.

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According to a news item I just read there is a legislative summit going in Nacogdoches today. It is too late for anyone to attend but I can find no evidence of prior notification about this on Sen. Nichols web page even though he is listed in the article as key person at the event. The public is supposedly able to attend. I can't find a list of the attendees which is said to include 15 people. I don't know how to do a link but I found it on ktre ABC tv.

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According to a news item I just read there is a legislative summit going in Nacogdoches today. It is too late for anyone to attend but I can find no evidence of prior notification about this on Sen. Nichols web page even though he is listed in the article as key person at the event. The public is supposedly able to attend. I can't find a list of the attendees which is said to include 15 people. I don't know how to do a link but I found it on ktre ABC tv.

 

http://www.ktre.com/story/24770777/legislative-summit-underway-in-nacogdoches-co

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I will report that in Collin County Texas, I was able to go into the tax office and renew two cars and a utility trailer for three years yesterday. No issue. ($540 paid to tax man.. ouch)

 

I did ask them about the law change, and they had no idea that it was passed much less any change in procedure.

 

Last year we renewed our TT for two years, and I have one year left.. Makes me want to go back in and try to add the max years to it..

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Dear Members,

 

I wanted to share some more information with you on the new registration law that will be enacted on March 1, 2015. I have contacted another State Representative’s office for more information on the new law and received a reply that I would like to share. They reached out to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles and the Texas Department of Public Safety on the behalf of RVers. Both of these agencies are aware of the problems of the RV owners with the new law and are working on a solution. DMV’s vehicle titling and registration division has identified RV owners as one of the groups that they will need to carefully consider during implementation and they are prepared to evaluate options that may reduce the impact the single-sticker program has on RVers. There is not a specific timeline for a solution, but it must be done before the bill goes into effect in March 2015. DMV is having meetings with DPS and the bill authors to make sure everyone is on the same page as they move forward.

 

Since this a work in progress, DMV will keep in contact with the State Representative’s Office, who in turn, will keep me informed on the progress. As more information becomes available to me, I will let you, the members, know what the progress is on this major concern.

 

James Koca

Escapees RV Advocacy Director

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Guest KellyGarner

Anyone question the disparity: Why didn't Escapees use that "meet the candidates" forum to address the issue?

 

Escapees was asked about this law months ago so they knew it was coming while they were organizing the meet the candidates session.

 

Per TravisCarr Post 196: "Escapees are very actively working on this new law and we are looking for answers from the State of Texas about the new procedures for renewal of our vehicles while traveling out of state."
But per ChiefNeon Post 186: "I did attend the meeting and was a little disappointed. They had quite a turnout I think over twenty candidates and over 200 in attendance. The forum was setup to permit each candidate to speak and they where limited to four minutes, and "NO QUESTIONS" could be asked. If you had a question you had to ask each of them afterward. Not knowing which one to best direct my question to I started with the person with Escapees running the forum. Sorry I don't recall her name but she had no clue about it. She directed me to Teresa Moore. She advised me they were aware of the issue and then directed me to Jim Koca also with Escapees. They both advised me that the person I needed to speak with Rep. White who was not present. Jim Koca stated we should not worry as he expected a exemption would be permitted for persons outside the state. That's it!"
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We realize that members are disappointed that Escapees RV Club did not catch the legislative change involving Texas inspection stickers. The Club makes a point of remaining watchful of potentially harmful laws, practices and policies that could be detrimental to the members and RVers in general. Cathie Carr personally went to Austin to meet with Representative White’s office in January 2012, and reminded him and his staff of the special needs of full-time RVers. But, despite everyone’s attempt to monitor bills that might have a negative impact, this one got past us. As I posted previously, we are working closely with a variety of representatives and remain confident that procedures will be modified so that they will not unfairly hinder travelers. We will stay on top of this issue and will share any significant news we have with you.

 

There have also been some posts questioning why this subject was not discussed at the educational forum that took place at Rainbow’s End. I, along with several other Escapees staff, were present, but the logistics and time schedule did not allow for questions from the floor. The CARE Volunteers who were hosting this particular forum, unfortunately were not aware of the issue; however, one-on-one meetings were already taking place with the Representatives and positive action was (and is) in the works.

 

Jim Koca

Escapees RV Advocacy Director

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I worked for a Texas agency that had an entire office (30+ folks) devoted to tracking and evaluating legislation during each Texas legislative session. It was a daunting task and things slipped through. I wouldn't beat up the SKP's staff too badly for not getting in front of this one.

 

All we can ask at this point is that reasonable efforts be made to accommodate full-time RV'ers and it sounds like that is being pursued.

Mark & Teri

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