By Tillery                                             H.B. No. 116

      75R1314 MCK-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to access of certain vehicles to high occupancy vehicle

 1-3     lanes.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 541.302, Transportation Code, is amended

 1-6     by adding Subdivision (17) to read as follows:

 1-7                 (17)  "High occupancy vehicle lane" means a roadway

 1-8     lane that may be used only by a vehicle containing a minimum number

 1-9     of occupants.

1-10           SECTION 2.  Subchapter I, Chapter 545, Transportation Code,

1-11     is amended by adding Section 545.424 to read as follows:

1-12           Sec. 545.424.  ACCESS TO HIGH OCCUPANCY VEHICLE LANE.  A

1-13     person operating a vehicle with license plates issued under Section

1-14     502.253 may drive in a high occupancy vehicle lane notwithstanding

1-15     the minimum occupant requirement.

1-16           SECTION 3.  Chapter 544, Transportation Code, is amended by

1-17     adding Section 544.011 to read as follows:

1-18           Sec. 544.011.  SIGNS FOR HIGH OCCUPANCY VEHICLE LANE.  The

1-19     authority responsible for maintaining a high occupancy vehicle lane

1-20     shall maintain signs identifying all vehicles that are permitted to

1-21     drive in the high occupancy vehicle lane.

1-22           SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-23           SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-24     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-1     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-2     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 2-3     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.