74R9474 DWS-F
By Swinford H.B. No. 1545
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1545:
By Edwards C.S.H.B. No. 1545
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the hours of operation of certain vehicles.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Subsection (a), Section 106, Uniform Act
1-5 Regulating Traffic on Highways (Article 6701d, Vernon's Texas Civil
1-6 Statutes), is amended to read as follows:
1-7 (a) No driver of a motor vehicle shall drive upon any
1-8 highway outside of the limits of an incorporated city or town
1-9 drawing or having attached thereto more than one (1) vehicle except
1-10 as herein provided; such vehicle may be a trailer, semi-trailer,
1-11 pole trailer, or another vehicle; provided, however, that there may
1-12 be attached to motor vehicles used exclusively in the actual
1-13 harvesting of perishable fresh fruits and vegetables not to exceed
1-14 two (2) trailers, under the following conditions:
1-15 1. The origin of fruits and vegetables must be an
1-16 orchard or a field where the same are grown and the destination
1-17 must be a packing or processing plant or shed not more than fifty
1-18 (50) miles distant from such field or orchard.
1-19 2. The combination of vehicles must be operated only
1-20 during daytime <the period from sunrise to sunset>, and at a rate
1-21 of speed not to exceed twenty-five (25) miles per hour.
1-22 3. The fruits and vegetables transported in such
1-23 trailers must be in bulk or field crates.
1-24 4. The width, height, and gross weight of each trailer
2-1 and/or combination of trailers shall conform to the requirements
2-2 set forth in Article 827a, Revised Penal Code of the State of
2-3 Texas, and all other laws of this State governing same.
2-4 5. No one harvesting trailer shall exceed seventeen
2-5 (17) feet, nine (9) inches in length, nor shall any combination of
2-6 two (2) trailers and motor vehicle as provided herein, exceed
2-7 fifty-five (55) feet overall length.
2-8 6. No laborers or "harvesting hands" shall be carried
2-9 in or on the trailers while so used.
2-10 SECTION 2. Section 2, Chapter 73, Acts of the 54th
2-11 Legislature, Regular Session, 1955 (Article 6701d-13, Vernon's
2-12 Texas Civil Statutes), is amended to read as follows:
2-13 Sec. 2. Such vehicles may be operated only during daytime,
2-14 as defined by Section 20A, Uniform Act Regulating Traffic on
2-15 Highways (Article 6701d, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes) <between
2-16 the hours of sunrise and sunset as defined by law>.
2-17 SECTION 3. Section 2, Chapter 8, Acts of the 62nd
2-18 Legislature, Regular Session, 1971 (Article 6701d-17, Vernon's
2-19 Texas Civil Statutes), is amended to read as follows:
2-20 Sec. 2. Such vehicles may be operated only during daytime,
2-21 as defined by Section 20A, Uniform Act Regulating Traffic on
2-22 Highways (Article 6701d, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), <between
2-23 the hours of sunrise and sunset as defined by law> and there shall
2-24 at all times be displayed at the extreme rear end of the load
2-25 carried on such vehicles a red flag or cloth not less than twelve
2-26 (12) inches square and so hung that the entire area is visible to
2-27 the driver of a vehicle approaching from the rear.
3-1 SECTION 4. (a) The change in law made by this Act applies
3-2 only to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this
3-3 Act. For purposes of this section, an offense is committed before
3-4 the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurs
3-5 before that date.
3-6 (b) An offense committed before the effective date of this
3-7 Act is covered by the law in effect when the offense was committed,
3-8 and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
3-9 SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
3-10 SECTION 6. The importance of this legislation and the
3-11 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-12 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-13 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-14 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.