By Swinford H.B. No. 1545
74R5251 DWS-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the hours of operation of certain agricultural vehicles
1-3 towing more than one trailer.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Subsection (a), Section 106, Uniform Act
1-6 Regulating Traffic on Highways (Article 6701d, Vernon's Texas Civil
1-7 Statutes), is amended to read as follows:
1-8 (a) No driver of a motor vehicle shall drive upon any
1-9 highway outside of the limits of an incorporated city or town
1-10 drawing or having attached thereto more than one (1) vehicle except
1-11 as herein provided; such vehicle may be a trailer, semi-trailer,
1-12 pole trailer, or another vehicle; provided, however, that there may
1-13 be attached to motor vehicles used exclusively in the actual
1-14 harvesting of perishable fresh fruits and vegetables not to exceed
1-15 two (2) trailers, under the following conditions:
1-16 1. The origin of fruits and vegetables must be an
1-17 orchard or a field where the same are grown and the destination
1-18 must be a packing or processing plant or shed not more than fifty
1-19 (50) miles distant from such field or orchard.
1-20 2. The combination of vehicles must be operated only
1-21 during daytime <the period from sunrise to sunset>, and at a rate
1-22 of speed not to exceed twenty-five (25) miles per hour.
1-23 3. The fruits and vegetables transported in such
1-24 trailers must be in bulk or field crates.
2-1 4. The width, height, and gross weight of each trailer
2-2 and/or combination of trailers shall conform to the requirements
2-3 set forth in Article 827a, Revised Penal Code of the State of
2-4 Texas, and all other laws of this State governing same.
2-5 5. No one harvesting trailer shall exceed seventeen
2-6 (17) feet, nine (9) inches in length, nor shall any combination of
2-7 two (2) trailers and motor vehicle as provided herein, exceed
2-8 fifty-five (55) feet overall length.
2-9 6. No laborers or "harvesting hands" shall be carried
2-10 in or on the trailers while so used.
2-11 SECTION 2. (a) The change in law made by this Act applies
2-12 only to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this
2-13 Act. For purposes of this section, an offense is committed before
2-14 the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurs
2-15 before that date.
2-16 (b) An offense committed before the effective date of this
2-17 Act is covered by the law in effect when the offense was committed,
2-18 and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
2-19 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
2-20 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
2-21 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-22 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-23 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-24 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.