By Goolsby                                      H.B. No. 2624

      75R7555 MI-F                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the regulation of sailboat competitions.

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

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Section 31.022, Parks and Wildlife Code, is

 1-5     amended by adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:

 1-6           (e)  A vessel participating in a sailboat regatta, race, or

 1-7     other competitive event or exhibition is exempt from the numbering

 1-8     display requirement of Section 31.021 while the vessel is competing

 1-9     in or practicing, tuning up, or rehearsing for the event or

1-10     exhibition if the vessel:

1-11                 (1)  is in compliance with the permanent hull number

1-12     identification requirement of the United States Coast Guard

1-13     regulations or of this chapter that is applicable to the vessel;

1-14                 (2)  is in compliance with any other registration or

1-15     titling requirement of this chapter that is applicable to the

1-16     vessel, including the payment of any fee or tax; and

1-17                 (3)  displays the validation decal  required by Section

1-18     31.032.

1-19           SECTION 2.  Subchapter D, Parks and Wildlife Code, is amended

1-20     by adding Section 31.108 to read as follows:

1-21           Sec. 31.108.  SAILBOAT COMPETITIONS.  (a)  A sailboat

1-22     regatta, race, or other competitive event or exhibition may be

1-23     conducted under and governed by the rules of the International

1-24     Sailing Federation (ISAF) and the requirements of the United States

 2-1     Sailing Association (USS) if:

 2-2                 (1)  each participant in the event or exhibition:

 2-3                       (A)  agrees in writing to be bound by those rules

 2-4     and requirements; and

 2-5                       (B)  complies with each applicable provision of

 2-6     this chapter, the United States Coast Guard inland navigation

 2-7     rules, and local rules and ordinances in a meeting with a

 2-8     nonparticipating vessel; and

 2-9                 (2)  each vessel participating in the event or

2-10     exhibition complies with applicable safety equipment requirements

2-11     of this chapter.

2-12           (b)  The department or another agency authorized to enforce

2-13     this chapter may on request of the organizing authority or sponsor

2-14     of the event or exhibition provide public safety patrols to

2-15     regulate nonparticipating vessel traffic for any regatta, race,

2-16     exhibition, or other organized sailboat activity if the action

2-17     would be prudent to ensure safe navigation.

2-18           (c)  To the extent of any conflict between this chapter and a

2-19     rule of the International Sailing Federation or a requirement of

2-20     the United States Sailing Association under which a sailboat

2-21     regatta, race, or other competitive event or exhibition is being

2-22     conducted, as provided by Subsection (a), the rule or requirement

2-23     prevails.

2-24           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

2-25           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

2-26     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-27     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 3-1     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

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