H.B. No. 478 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the speed limit in an alley. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Section 13, Uniform Act Regulating Traffic on 1-5 Highways (Article 6701d, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended 1-6 by adding Subsection (n) to read as follows: 1-7 (n) "Alley" means a street that: 1-8 (1) is not used primarily for through traffic; and 1-9 (2) gives access to rear entrances of buildings or 1-10 lots along the street. 1-11 SECTION 2. Section 166(a), Uniform Act Regulating Traffic on 1-12 Highways (Article 6701d, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended 1-13 to read as follows: 1-14 (a) No person shall drive a vehicle on a highway at a speed 1-15 greater than is reasonable and prudent under the circumstances then 1-16 existing. Except when a special hazard exists that requires lower 1-17 speeds for compliance with paragraph (b) of this Section, the 1-18 limits specified in this Section or established as hereinafter 1-19 authorized shall be lawful, but any speed in excess of the limits 1-20 specified in this Section or established as hereinafter authorized 1-21 shall be prima facie evidence that the speed is not reasonable or 1-22 prudent and that it is unlawful: 1-23 1. Thirty (30) miles per hour in any urban district, 1-24 except as provided by Subdivision 1A of this paragraph; 2-1 1A. Fifteen (15) miles per hour on an alley; 2-2 2. Seventy (70) miles per hour during the daytime and 2-3 sixty-five (65) miles per hour during the nighttime for any 2-4 passenger car, motorcycle, or motor-driven cycle on any State or 2-5 Federal numbered highway outside any urban district, including 2-6 farm- and/or ranch-to-market roads, and sixty (60) miles per hour 2-7 during the daytime and fifty-five (55) miles per hour during the 2-8 nighttime for any passenger car, motorcycle, or motor-driven cycle 2-9 on all other highways outside any urban district; 2-10 3. Sixty (60) miles per hour for all other vehicles on 2-11 any highway outside any urban district; 2-12 4. The speed limits for any bus or other vehicle 2-13 engaged in this State in the business of transporting passengers 2-14 for compensation or hire, for any commercial vehicle which is in 2-15 authorized use as a "Highway Post Office" vehicle furnishing 2-16 Highway Post Office service in the transportation of the United 2-17 States mail, and for any light truck, as described in Subdivision 5 2-18 of this subsection, shall be the same as prescribed for passenger 2-19 cars at the same location. 2-20 5. The above limitations notwithstanding, the 2-21 following prima facie maximum limits are declared, for any highway 2-22 outside any urban district; 2-23 a. Forty-five (45) miles per hour for any 2-24 vehicle towing any house trailer of actual or registered gross 2-25 weight exceeding four thousand, five hundred (4,500) pounds or with 2-26 an over-all length exceeding thirty-two (32) feet, excluding the 2-27 tow bar. 3-1 b. Sixty (60) miles per hour in daytime and 3-2 fifty-five (55) miles per hour during nighttime for any truck, 3-3 except light trucks as described in this Subdivision 5, truck 3-4 tractor, trailer or semitrailer, or for any vehicle towing any 3-5 trailer, semitrailer, another motor vehicle, or any house trailer 3-6 of actual or registered gross weight, less than four thousand, five 3-7 hundred (4,500) pounds and over-all length of thirty-two (32) feet 3-8 or less, excluding the tow bar. 3-9 c. Fifty (50) miles per hour for any school bus. 3-10 "Daytime" means from one-half (1/2) hour before sunrise to 3-11 one-half (1/2) hour after sunset, and "nighttime" means at any 3-12 other hour. 3-13 "Urban District" means the territory contiguous to and 3-14 including any highway or street which is built up with structures 3-15 devoted to business, industry or dwelling houses, situated at 3-16 intervals of less than one hundred (100) feet for a distance of 3-17 one-quarter (1/4) of a mile or more on either side. 3-18 "Passenger car" means every motor vehicle, except motorcycles 3-19 and motor-driven cycles, designed for carrying ten (10) passengers 3-20 or less and used for the transportation of persons. 3-21 "Light truck" means any truck, as defined in this Act, with a 3-22 manufacturer's rated carrying capacity not to exceed two thousand 3-23 (2,000) pounds and is intended to include those trucks commonly 3-24 known as pick-up trucks, panel delivery trucks and carry-all 3-25 trucks. 3-26 The maximum speed limits set forth in this Section may be 3-27 altered as authorized in Sections 167, 168 and 169. 4-1 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1993. 4-2 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 4-3 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 4-4 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 4-5 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 4-6 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.