By:  Wilson                                           H.B. No. 1698
       73R6420 DRH-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the insurance requirements for tow trucks.
    1-3        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  Section 3, Chapter 1135, Acts of the 70th
    1-5  Legislature, Regular Session, 1987 (Article 6687-9b, Vernon's Texas
    1-6  Civil Statutes), is amended to read as follows:
    1-7        Sec. 3.  INSURANCE AND SAFETY REQUIREMENTS <Powers and Duties
    1-8  of Commissioner>.  (a)  A tow truck owner shall maintain insurance
    1-9  coverage in an amount equal to the amount required for proof of
   1-10  financial responsibility for a motor vehicle under the Texas Motor
   1-11  Vehicle Safety-Responsibility Act (Article 6701h, Vernon's Texas
   1-12  Civil Statutes) and its subsequent amendments.  The commissioner
   1-13  shall, after a public hearing, cancel the certificate of
   1-14  registration for a tow truck owner who fails to maintain insurance
   1-15  as required by this subsection.
   1-16        (b)  The commissioner shall adopt rules regarding only the
   1-17  <minimum insurance requirements for the operation of tow trucks
   1-18  and> minimum safety standards regarding the operation of tow
   1-19  trucks.
   1-20        SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1993.
   1-21        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-22  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-23  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   1-24  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-1  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.