By: Parker S.B. No. 1074
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
1-1 relating to required lights and sound-producing devices on a vessel
1-2 or motorboat.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Sections 31.064 and 31.065, Parks and Wildlife
1-5 Code, are amended to read as follows:
1-6 Sec. 31.064. Lights. <(a)> A vessel or motorboat when not
1-7 at dock must have and exhibit at least one bright light, lantern,
1-8 or flashlight from sunset to sunrise in all weather. A vessel or
1-9 motorboat when underway between sunset and sunrise in all weather
1-10 must have and exhibit the lights prescribed by the commandant of
1-11 the Coast Guard <below> for boats of its class. No other lights
1-12 that may be mistaken for those prescribed may be exhibited.
1-13 <(b) Each class A and class 1 motorboat must have the
1-14 following lights:>
1-15 <(1) a bright white light aft to show all around the
1-16 horizon; and>
1-17 <(2) a combined lantern in the fore part of the vessel
1-18 and lower than the white light aft, showing green to starboard and
1-19 red to port, so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead to two
1-20 points abaft the beam on their respective sides.>
1-21 <(c) Each class 2 and class 3 motorboat must have the
1-22 following lights and light screens:>
1-23 <(1) a bright white light in the fore part of the
1-24 vessel as near the stem as practicable, so constructed as to show
2-1 an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of 20 points of the
2-2 compass and so fixed as to throw the light 10 points on each side
2-3 of the vessel, namely from right ahead to 2 points abaft the beam
2-4 on either side;>
2-5 <(2) a bright white light aft to show all around the
2-6 horizon and higher than the white light forward;>
2-7 <(3) a green light on the starboard side so
2-8 constructed as to show an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon
2-9 of 10 points of the compass and so fixed as to throw the light from
2-10 right ahead to 2 points abaft the beam on the starboard side;>
2-11 <(4) a red light on the port side so constructed as to
2-12 show an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of 10 points of
2-13 the compass and so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead to
2-14 2 points abaft the beam on the port side; and>
2-15 <(5) inboard screens fitted on the starboard and port
2-16 side lights of sufficient length and so set as to prevent the side
2-17 lights from being seen across the bow.>
2-18 <(d) Each class A and class 1 motorboat when propelled by
2-19 sail alone must have the combined lantern but not the white light
2-20 aft prescribed in Subsection (b) of this section.>
2-21 <(e) Each class 2 and class 3 motorboat when propelled by
2-22 sail alone must have the colored side lights, suitably screened,
2-23 but not the white lights prescribed in Subsection (c) of this
2-24 section.>
2-25 <(f) Motorboats of all classes when propelled by sail alone
2-26 must have ready at hand a lantern or flashlight showing a white
2-27 light which shall be exhibited in sufficient time to avert a
3-1 collision.>
3-2 <(g) A white light required by this section must be visible
3-3 at a distance of at least two miles. A colored light required by
3-4 this section must be visible at a distance of at least one mile.
3-5 In this section, "visible" means visible on dark nights with clear
3-6 atmosphere.>
3-7 <(h) A motorboat propelled by sail and machinery must have
3-8 the lights required by this section for motorboats propelled by
3-9 machinery alone.>
3-10 <(i) A motorboat may have and exhibit the lights required by
3-11 the Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1948, Act of
3-12 October 11, 1951 (65 Stat. 406-420), as amended, instead of the
3-13 lights specified by this section.>
3-14 Sec. 31.065. SOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES <WHISTLES; BELLS>.
3-15 <(a)> A motorboat <of class 1, 2, or 3> must have an efficient
3-16 whistle or other sound-producing device if one is required by the
3-17 commandant of the Coast Guard <mechanical appliance>.
3-18 <(b) A motorboat of class 2 or 3 must have an efficient
3-19 bell.>
3-20 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1993.
3-21 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
3-22 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-23 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-24 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-25 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.