75R8189 KKA-F                           

         By Maxey                                               H.B. No. 394

         Substitute the following for H.B. No. 394:

         By Merritt                                         C.S.H.B. No. 394

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to required equipment for racing shells, rowing sculls,

 1-3     and racing kayaks.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 31.073, Parks and Wildlife Code, is

 1-6     amended to read as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 31.073.  CANOES, PUNTS, ROWBOATS, SAILBOATS, [AND]

 1-8     RUBBER RAFTS, RACING SHELLS, ROWING SCULLS, AND RACING KAYAKS;

 1-9     EQUIPMENT EXEMPTIONS.  (a)  All canoes, punts, rowboats, sailboats,

1-10     and rubber rafts when paddled, poled, oared, or windblown are

1-11     exempt from all [the required] safety equipment requirements except

1-12     the following:

1-13                 (1)  one Coast Guard approved lifesaving device for

1-14     each person aboard; and

1-15                 (2)  the lights prescribed by the commandant of the

1-16     Coast Guard for class A vessels and required under [in] Section

1-17     31.064 [of this code].

1-18           (b)  Racing shells, rowing sculls, and racing kayaks while

1-19     participating in or practicing for an officially sanctioned race

1-20     are exempt from all safety equipment requirements except the lights

1-21     prescribed by the commandant of the Coast Guard for class A vessels

1-22     and required under Section 31.064.

1-23           (c)  In this section, "racing shell," "rowing scull," or

1-24     "racing kayak" means a manually propelled boat:

 2-1                 (1)  recognized by a national or international racing

 2-2     association for use in competitive racing;

 2-3                 (2)  not designed or used to carry equipment serving

 2-4     any purpose other than competitive racing; and

 2-5                 (3)  in which each occupant, except a coxswain, rows,

 2-6     sculls, or paddles.

 2-7           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

 2-8           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

 2-9     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-10     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-11     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-12     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.