Government - page 6

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) reminds Texans of upcoming changes to the state’s Vehicle Safety Inspection Program that will eliminate most vehicle safety inspections. House Bill 3297, which was passed by the 88th Legislature and signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott in 2023, abolishes the Vehicle Safety Inspection Program for non-commercial vehicles.

Beginning January 1, 2025, non-commercial vehicles will no longer need a vehicle safety inspection prior to registration. However, all non-commercial vehicles in the state will be subject to a $7.50 inspection program replacement fee. When you register your vehicle with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, this fee will be added to your total.

New vehicles (those of the current or preceding model year on the date of purchase) purchased in Texas that have not been previously registered in Texas or another state are required to pay an initial inspection program replacement fee of $16.75 to cover two years.

While comprehensive vehicle safety inspections will be eliminated for all non-commercial vehicles, Texans whose vehicles are registered in emissions counties will still be required to have emissions tests. Emissions tests are required in major metropolitan areas, including Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, and Montgomery counties; Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Johnson, Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall, and Tarrant counties; Travis and Williamson counties; and El Paso County. Bexar County will be added to the list of counties requiring emissions tests in 2026.  Orange County is not on that list.

All commercial vehicles in all counties will still be required to obtain a passing vehicle safety inspection. Because they will be required to pay for that safety inspection, commercial vehicles will be exempt from the inspection program replacement fee.

All vehicles will still need to be registered, and the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles will continue to manage the registration process.

The City of Port Arthur Health Department’s primary health care clinic is now accepting new patients from Orange County. The clinic is located at 5860 Ninth Ave., Entrance #7 in Port Arthur.

To be eligible, the patient must be a Texas resident, not have insurance or Medicaid, meet income requirements, and be 18 or older.

WIC and SNAP recipients are automatically qualified for the clinic.

Services include:

• Well-woman exams
• Well-man exams
• Lab work
• X-rays
• EKG
• Pregnancy test
• Sick visits

For more information, please call Rosaland Shelton at 409-983-8896 or visit their Facebook page  or their website.

This is a sponsored post.

Mayor Larry Spears Jr. has proclaimed June 2024 as Men’s Health Month and Tuesday, June 11, 2024, as “Gift of Life” Men’s Health Awareness Day in the City of Orange.

“Gift of Life,” in collaboration with its medical partners, provides free healthcare services for men, including PSA screenings and primary care tests, along with on-site physician consultations to review test outcomes and navigate men to care.

The Gift of Life Program will host regional men’s health screening events and educational outreach presentations throughout the summer and encourages all men in our community to pursue preventive health practices and early detection efforts.

The City of Orange Hotel/Motel Tax committee has released applications for non-profit entities within the City of Orange to apply for a portion of the City’s Hotel/Motel Tax funds. Any 501 (C) organization in the City of Orange that attracts visitors to the City of Orange, Texas, can submit applications to the committee. Under Section 351.101 (b) of the Texas Tax Code, municipal hotel occupancy tax revenue may be used ONLY to promote tourism and the convention and hotel industry.

Through the Hotel Occupancy Tax Grant Program, qualified events can apply for funds from the City of Orange. The mission of the Hotel Occupancy Tax Grant Program is to provide funds to directly enhance and promote tourism and the convention and hotel industry by applying to one of the following seven statutorily provided categories:

• Funding, improvement, or maintenance of a convention center or visitor information center.
• Paying the administrative costs for facilitating convention registration.
• Advertising, solicitations, and promotions that attract tourists and convention delegates to the City or its vicinity.
• Expenditures that promote arts.
• Funding historical restoration or preservation programs.
• Funding costs in certain counties to hold sporting events that substantially increase hotel activities.
• Signage directing tourists to sights and attractions that are visited frequently by hotel guests in the municipality.

The application and guidelines are available on the City of Orange website. Applications will be accepted May 20, 2024, through July 12, 2024, at 5 P.M. Applied funds must be for activities occurring October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025.

For additional information, please contact Divon Williams at 409-221-3344 or by email at dwilliams@orangetexas.gov.