(a) Foreign and domestic motor carriers, motor private carriers, leasing companies, brokers, and freight forwarders shall not operate in interstate commerce in this state without first registering with a base state and paying all fees as required under the federal Unified Carrier Registration Act of 2005.

(b) The Public Service Commission is the state agency in this state responsible for the administration of the federal Unified Carrier Registration Act of 2005, including participating in the development, implementation, and administration of the Unified Carrier Registration Agreement. The commission may follow rules governing the Unified Carrier Registration Agreement issued under the Unified Carrier Registration Plan by its board of directors.

(c) The commission may follow rules and collect fee assessments set by the federal Secretary of Transportation from foreign and domestic motor carriers, motor private carriers, leasing companies, brokers, and freight forwarders, and do all things necessary to enable this state to participate in the federal Unified Carrier Registration Agreement pursuant to the federal Unified Carrier Registration Act of 2005. The commission may register applicants and collect all fees without notice or a public hearing.

(d) Any fees collected by the commission pursuant to this section, except application fees, shall be distributed as follows: One-sixth shall be paid in the Motor Carrier Fund in the State Treasury Fund; and the remaining five-sixths of the fees shall be paid in the Public Service Commission's operating fund, and shall be expended for the payment of expenses incurred by the commission in the regulation of motor carriers upon appropriation as provided by law.

(e) This section shall not be construed as transferring authority for the enforcement of the federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations or any part of the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program from the Department of Public Safety.