By Driver                                             H.B. No. 2733

         75R3211 DRH-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the operation of golf carts on a public road or

 1-3     highway.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 502.284, Transportation Code, is amended

 1-6     to read as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 502.284.  GOLF CARTS.  An owner of a golf cart driven to

 1-8     and from a golf course is not required to register the golf cart

 1-9     if:

1-10                 (1)  the operation of the golf cart occurs in the

1-11     daytime, as defined by Section 541.401; and

1-12                 (2)  the distance from the point of origin to the

1-13     destination does not exceed two miles.

1-14           SECTION 2.  Section 547.002, Transportation Code, is amended

1-15     to read as follows:

1-16           Sec. 547.002.  APPLICABILITY.  Unless a provision is

1-17     specifically made applicable, this chapter and the rules of the

1-18     department adopted under this chapter do not apply to:

1-19                 (1)  an implement of husbandry;

1-20                 (2)  road machinery;

1-21                 (3)  a road roller;

1-22                 (4)  a farm tractor; [or]

1-23                 (5)  a bicycle, a bicyclist, or bicycle equipment; or

1-24                 (6)  a golf cart not required to be registered under

 2-1     Section 502.284.

 2-2           SECTION 3.  Section 601.052(a), Transportation Code, is

 2-3     amended to read as follows:

 2-4           (a)  Section 601.051 does not apply to:

 2-5                 (1)  the operation of a motor vehicle that:

 2-6                       (A)  is a former military vehicle or is at least

 2-7     25 years old;

 2-8                       (B)  is used only for exhibitions, club

 2-9     activities, parades, and other functions of public interest and not

2-10     for regular transportation; and

2-11                       (C)  for which the owner files with the

2-12     department an affidavit, signed by the owner, stating that the

2-13     vehicle is a collector's item and used only as described by

2-14     Paragraph (B);

2-15                 (2)  the operation of a golf cart not required to be

2-16     registered under Section 502.284; or

2-17                 (3)  a volunteer fire department for the operation of a

2-18     motor vehicle the title of which is held in the name of a volunteer

2-19     fire department.

2-20           SECTION 4.  In addition to the substantive changes made by

2-21     this Act, this Act conforms Section 601.052(a), Transportation

2-22     Code, to Section 4, Chapter 443, Acts of the 74th Legislature,

2-23     Regular Session, 1995.  To the extent of any conflict, this Act

2-24     prevails over another Act of the 75th Legislature, Regular Session,

2-25     1997, relating to nonsubstantive additions and amendments to

2-26     enacted codes.

2-27           SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

 3-1           SECTION 6.  The importance of this legislation and the

 3-2     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 3-3     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 3-4     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 3-5     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

 3-6                          COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1

 3-7           Amend H.B. No. 2733 on page 1 by striking lines 12 and 13 and

 3-8     substituting the following:

 3-9                 "(2)  the operation:

3-10                       (A)  does not exceed a distance of two miles from

3-11     the point of origin to the destination; or

3-12                       (B)  occurs entirely within a master planned

3-13     community with a uniform set of restrictive covenants that has had

3-14     a plat approved by a county or a municipality."

3-15     75R12481 DRH-F                                            Alexander