By: West S.B. No. 802
73R3970 DWS-F
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to certain notices required for a used passenger car being
1-3 offered for sale; providing a penalty.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. In this Act:
1-6 (1) "Passenger car" has the meaning assigned by
1-7 Section 2(j), Uniform Act Regulating Traffic on Highways (Article
1-8 6701d, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes).
1-9 (2) "Used car dealer" means a person, corporation, or
1-10 association in the business of selling used passenger cars.
1-11 SECTION 2. NOTICES REQUIRED; OFFENSE. (a) A used car
1-12 dealer commits an offense if the used car dealer offers for sale a
1-13 passenger car of a model year after 1971 and before 1991 to which
1-14 the notices required by Sections 3 and 4 of this Act are not
1-15 attached as provided by this Act.
1-16 (b) An offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor.
1-17 SECTION 3. OUTSIDE NOTICE. (a) A notice must be attached
1-18 to the window of the left front door of the passenger car, or if
1-19 there is no front door, to another suitable location so that it may
1-20 be seen and read by an individual standing outside the passenger
1-21 car at that location. The notice must be in at least 14-point type
1-22 and must state:
1-23 WARNING: While use of all seat belts reduces the
1-24 chance of ejection, failure to install and use shoulder
2-1 harnesses with lap belts can result in serious or fatal
2-2 injuries in some crashes. Lap-only belts increase the
2-3 chance of head and neck injury by allowing the upper
2-4 torso to move unrestrained in a crash and increase the
2-5 chance of spinal column and abdominal injuries by
2-6 concentrating excessive force on the lower torso.
2-7 Because children carry a disproportionate amount of
2-8 body weight above the waist, they are more likely to
2-9 sustain such injuries. Shoulder harnesses may be
2-10 available that can be retrofitted in this vehicle.
2-11 (b) A notice under this section is not required on a
2-12 passenger car equipped with a lap belt and shoulder harness for the
2-13 driver and at least one passenger in the front seat of the car and,
2-14 if the passenger car has a rear seat, for at least two passengers
2-15 in that seat.
2-16 SECTION 4. REAR SEAT NOTICE. (a) A notice must be attached
2-17 to one rear seat lap belt buckle. The notice must be in at least
2-18 10-point type and must state:
2-19 WARNING: While use of all seat belts reduces the
2-20 chance of ejection, failure to install and use shoulder
2-21 harnesses with lap belts can result in serious or fatal
2-22 injuries in some crashes. Shoulder harnesses may be
2-23 available that can be retrofitted in this vehicle.
2-24 (b) A notice under this section is not required on a
2-25 passenger car that:
2-26 (1) is equipped with a lap belt and shoulder harness
2-27 for at least two passengers in the rear seat of the passenger car;
3-1 (2) has no rear seat lap belts; or
3-2 (3) has no rear seat.
3-3 SECTION 5. REGISTRATION RENEWAL NOTICE. The Texas
3-4 Department of Transportation shall include, with each motor vehicle
3-5 registration renewal notice sent to the registered owner of a
3-6 vehicle after December 31, 1993, and before January 1, 1995, a
3-7 printed message to the effect that the failure to install and use
3-8 shoulder harnesses together with lap belts can result in serious or
3-9 fatal injuries in certain motor vehicle accidents. The message
3-10 must include the "hotline" telephone number for the National
3-11 Highway Transportation Safety Administration to which a person may
3-12 direct inquiries on retrofitting a vehicle with shoulder harnesses,
3-13 unless there is no appropriate telephone number.
3-14 SECTION 6. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September
3-15 1, 1993.
3-16 SECTION 7. EMERGENCY. The importance of this legislation
3-17 and the crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-18 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-19 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-20 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.