By Maxey                                         H.B. No. 394

      75R2907 KKA-F                           

                                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 are

1-19     exempt from all safety equipment requirements except the lights

1-20     prescribed by the commandant of the Coast Guard for class A vessels

1-21     and required under Section 31.064.

1-22           (c)  In this section, "racing shell," "rowing scull," or

1-23     "racing kayak" means a manually propelled boat:

1-24                 (1)  recognized by a national or international racing

 2-1     association for use in competitive racing;

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

 2-3     any purpose other than competitive racing; and

 2-4                 (3)  in which each occupant, except a coxswain, rows,

 2-5     sculls, or paddles.

 2-6           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

 2-7           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

 2-8     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-9     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-10     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-11     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.