By Mowery                                        H.B. No. 393

      75R2334 DWS-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to municipal restrictions on the use of a highway.

 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 545, Transportation Code,

 1-5     is amended by adding Section 545.0651 to read as follows:

 1-6           Sec. 545.0651.  MUNICIPAL RESTRICTION ON USE OF HIGHWAY.  (a)

 1-7     This section applies only to a part of a highway that is:

 1-8                 (1)  in the state highway system; and

 1-9                 (2)  located in a municipality with a population of

1-10     more than 250,000.

1-11           (b)  A municipality may by ordinance restrict use of a part

1-12     of a highway in the municipality by certain vehicles at certain

1-13     times as specified by the ordinance.  The ordinance may include

1-14     restrictions on the use of one or more lanes of a highway.

1-15           (c)  Before adopting an ordinance under this section, the

1-16     municipality shall submit to the Texas Department of Transportation

1-17     a description of the proposed restrictions.  The municipality may

1-18     not enforce the restrictions unless the department of

1-19     transportation has approved the restrictions.

1-20           (d)  A municipality that adopts an ordinance under this

1-21     section shall erect and maintain official traffic-control devices

1-22     on the part of the highway to which the ordinance applies.

1-23           SECTION 2.  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,

 2-4     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

 2-5     passage, and it is so enacted.