TWT H.B. 2733 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS


TRANSPORTATION
H.B. 2733
By: Driver
5-7-97
Committee Report (Amended)


BACKGROUND 

The operation of a golf cart on a public roadway is not specifically
against state law.  An  individual living within a "golfing community" may
reasonably drive a golf cart from his or her home to the golf course.
However, unlimited use of golf carts on public roadways could be deemed
unsafe.    

PURPOSE

H.B. 2733 amends the Texas Transportation Code by amending the current
golf cart section to allow a golf cart to be operated on a public roadway
only if operated during the daytime and not beyond two miles from point of
origin to destination. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency or
institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 502.284, Transportation Code, to allow  the
operation of golf carts during the daytime and within two miles from point
of origin to the destination. 

SECTION 2. Amends Section 547.002,  Transportation Code, to specify that a
golf cart is not required to be a registered vehicle. 

SECTION 3. Amends Section 601.052(a), Transportation Code, to add former
military vehicles over 25 years old and golf carts to the list of vehicles
that are not required to meet financial responsibility requirements. 

SECTION 4. In addition to the substantive changes made by this Act, this
Act conforms Section 601.052(a), Transportation Code, to Section 4,
Chapter 443, Acts of the 74th Legislature, Regular Session, 1995. To the
extent of any conflict, this Act prevails over another Act of the 75th
Legislature, Regular Session, 1997, relating to nonsubstantive additions
and amendments to enacted codes. 

SECTION 5. Effective date -- September 1, 1997.

SECTION 6. Emergency clause.

EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT #1 amends Section 1 of H.B. 2733 (Sec. 502.284) by
striking lines 12 and 13, which provided that a golf cart owner did not
have to register the cart if the distance it was operated from point or
origin to destination did not exceed two miles. The amendment added a new
Subsection (2) which states the owner does not have to register the golf
cart if the operation of the cart does not exceed two miles from point of
origin to the destination or if the operation occurs entirely within a
master planned community with a uniform set of restrictive covenants that
has had a plat approved by a county or a municipality.