1-1     By:  Driver, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Galloway)        H.B. No. 297

 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House May 16, 1997;

 1-3     May 16, 1997, read first time and referred to Committee on State

 1-4     Affairs; May 18, 1997, reported favorably by the following vote:

 1-5     Yeas 12, Nays 0; May 18, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-7                                   AN ACT

 1-8     relating to certain signs controlling use of traffic lanes.

 1-9           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-10           SECTION 1.  Chapter 544, Transportation Code, is amended by

1-11     adding Section 544.011 to read as follows:

1-12           Sec. 544.011.  LANE USE SIGNS.  If, on a highway having more

1-13     than one lane with vehicles traveling in the same direction, the

1-14     department or a local authority places a sign that directs slower

1-15     traffic to travel in a lane other than the farthest left lane, the

1-16     sign must read "left lane for passing only."

1-17           SECTION 2.  (a)  Before January 1, 1998, the Texas

1-18     Transportation Commission shall amend the sign manual adopted under

1-19     Section 544.001, Transportation Code, to comply with Section

1-20     544.011, Transportation Code, as added by this Act.

1-21           (b)  This Act does not require the Texas Department of

1-22     Transportation or a local authority to replace or repaint a sign.

1-23     Section 544.011, Transportation Code, as added by this Act, applies

1-24     only to a sign originally placed on a highway on or after the

1-25     effective date of this Act or replaced or repainted on or after the

1-26     effective date of this Act for a reason other than compliance with

1-27     Section 544.011,  Transportation Code.

1-28           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-29           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-30     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-31     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-32     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-33     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

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