1-1 By: Parker S.B. No. 1074
1-2 (In the Senate - Filed March 12, 1993; March 15, 1993, read
1-3 first time and referred to Committee on Natural Resources;
1-4 March 23, 1993, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 6,
1-5 Nays 0; March 23, 1993, sent to printer.)
1-6 COMMITTEE VOTE
1-7 Yea Nay PNV Absent
1-8 Sims x
1-9 Truan x
1-10 Armbrister x
1-11 Barrientos x
1-12 Bivins x
1-13 Brown x
1-14 Carriker x
1-15 Lucio x
1-16 Montford x
1-17 Ratliff x
1-18 Shelley x
1-19 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-20 AN ACT
1-21 relating to lights and sound-producing devices on a vessel or
1-22 motorboat.
1-23 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-24 SECTION 1. Sections 31.064 and 31.065, Parks and Wildlife
1-25 Code, are amended to read as follows:
1-26 Sec. 31.064. Lights. <(a)> A vessel or motorboat when not
1-27 at dock must have and exhibit at least one bright light, lantern,
1-28 or flashlight from sunset to sunrise in all weather. A vessel or
1-29 motorboat when underway between sunset and sunrise in all weather
1-30 must have and exhibit the lights prescribed by the commandant of
1-31 the Coast Guard <below> for boats of its class. No other lights
1-32 that may be mistaken for those prescribed may be exhibited.
1-33 <(b) Each class A and class 1 motorboat must have the
1-34 following lights:>
1-35 <(1) a bright white light aft to show all around the
1-36 horizon; and>
1-37 <(2) a combined lantern in the fore part of the vessel
1-38 and lower than the white light aft, showing green to starboard and
1-39 red to port, so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead to two
1-40 points abaft the beam on their respective sides.>
1-41 <(c) Each class 2 and class 3 motorboat must have the
1-42 following lights and light screens:>
1-43 <(1) a bright white light in the fore part of the
1-44 vessel as near the stem as practicable, so constructed as to show
1-45 an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of 20 points of the
1-46 compass and so fixed as to throw the light 10 points on each side
1-47 of the vessel, namely from right ahead to 2 points abaft the beam
1-48 on either side;>
1-49 <(2) a bright white light aft to show all around the
1-50 horizon and higher than the white light forward;>
1-51 <(3) a green light on the starboard side so
1-52 constructed as to show an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon
1-53 of 10 points of the compass and so fixed as to throw the light from
1-54 right ahead to 2 points abaft the beam on the starboard side;>
1-55 <(4) a red light on the port side so constructed as to
1-56 show an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of 10 points of
1-57 the compass and so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead to
1-58 2 points abaft the beam on the port side; and>
1-59 <(5) inboard screens fitted on the starboard and port
1-60 side lights of sufficient length and so set as to prevent the side
1-61 lights from being seen across the bow.>
1-62 <(d) Each class A and class 1 motorboat when propelled by
1-63 sail alone must have the combined lantern but not the white light
1-64 aft prescribed in Subsection (b) of this section.>
1-65 <(e) Each class 2 and class 3 motorboat when propelled by
1-66 sail alone must have the colored side lights, suitably screened,
1-67 but not the white lights prescribed in Subsection (c) of this
1-68 section.>
2-1 <(f) Motorboats of all classes when propelled by sail alone
2-2 must have ready at hand a lantern or flashlight showing a white
2-3 light which shall be exhibited in sufficient time to avert a
2-4 collision.>
2-5 <(g) A white light required by this section must be visible
2-6 at a distance of at least two miles. A colored light required by
2-7 this section must be visible at a distance of at least one mile.
2-8 In this section, "visible" means visible on dark nights with clear
2-9 atmosphere.>
2-10 <(h) A motorboat propelled by sail and machinery must have
2-11 the lights required by this section for motorboats propelled by
2-12 machinery alone.>
2-13 <(i) A motorboat may have and exhibit the lights required by
2-14 the Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1948, Act of
2-15 October 11, 1951 (65 Stat. 406-420), as amended, instead of the
2-16 lights specified by this section.>
2-17 Sec. 31.065. SOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES <WHISTLES; BELLS>.
2-18 <(a)> A motorboat <of class 1, 2, or 3> must have an efficient
2-19 whistle or other sound-producing device if one is required by the
2-20 commandant of the Coast Guard <mechanical appliance>.
2-21 <(b) A motorboat of class 2 or 3 must have an efficient
2-22 bell.>
2-23 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1993.
2-24 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
2-25 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-26 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-27 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-28 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
2-29 * * * * *
2-30 Austin,
2-31 Texas
2-32 March 23, 1993
2-33 Hon. Bob Bullock
2-34 President of the Senate
2-35 Sir:
2-36 We, your Committee on Natural Resources to which was referred S.B.
2-37 No. 1074, have had the same under consideration, and I am
2-38 instructed to report it back to the Senate with the recommendation
2-39 that it do pass and be printed.
2-40 Sims,
2-41 Chairman
2-42 * * * * *
2-43 WITNESSES
2-44 FOR AGAINST ON
2-45 ___________________________________________________________________
2-46 Name: Charles Heusley x
2-47 Representing: Tx Parks and Wildlife
2-48 City: Austin
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2-50 Name: Dexter Harris x
2-51 Representing: Tx Parks and Wildlife Dept
2-52 City: Austin
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