By Danburg H.B. No. 536 74R2035 DWS-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the penalty for exceeding a maximum prima facie speed 1-3 limit by operators of certain motor vehicles. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Article XIX, Uniform Act Regulating Traffic on 1-6 Highways (Article 6701d, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended 1-7 by adding Section 172A to read as follows: 1-8 Sec. 172A. PENALTY FOR SPEEDING IN CERTAIN VEHICLES. An 1-9 offense of exceeding a maximum prima facie speed limit is 1-10 punishable by a fine of not less than $200 or more than $2,000 if 1-11 the defendant committed the offense while operating a motor vehicle 1-12 or combination of motor vehicles used to transport passengers or 1-13 property that: 1-14 (1) has a gross combination weight rating of 26,001 or 1-15 more pounds, including a towed unit with a gross vehicle weight 1-16 rating of more than 10,000 pounds; 1-17 (2) has a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 or 1-18 more pounds; 1-19 (3) is designed to transport 16 or more passengers, 1-20 including the driver; or 1-21 (4) is transporting hazardous materials and is 1-22 required to be placarded under 49 C.F.R. Part 172, Subpart F. 1-23 SECTION 2. (a) The change in law made by this Act applies 1-24 only to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this 2-1 Act. For purposes of this section, an offense is committed before 2-2 the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurs 2-3 before that date. 2-4 (b) An offense committed before the effective date of this 2-5 Act is covered by the law in effect when the offense was committed, 2-6 and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. 2-7 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995. 2-8 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 2-9 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-10 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-11 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-12 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.