1-1 By: Driver (Senate Sponsor - Wentworth) H.B. No. 2733
1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 13, 1997;
1-3 May 13, 1997, read first time and referred to Committee on State
1-4 Affairs; May 18, 1997, reported favorably by the following vote:
1-5 Yeas 13, Nays 0; May 18, 1997, sent to printer.)
1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-7 AN ACT
1-8 relating to the operation of golf carts on a public road or
1-9 highway.
1-10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-11 SECTION 1. Section 502.284, Transportation Code, is amended
1-12 to read as follows:
1-13 Sec. 502.284. GOLF CARTS. An owner of a golf cart driven to
1-14 and from a golf course is not required to register the golf cart
1-15 if:
1-16 (1) the operation of the golf cart occurs in the
1-17 daytime, as defined by Section 541.401; and
1-18 (2) the operation:
1-19 (A) does not exceed a distance of two miles from
1-20 the point of origin to the destination; or
1-21 (B) occurs entirely within a master planned
1-22 community with a uniform set of restrictive covenants that has had
1-23 a plat approved by a county or a municipality.
1-24 SECTION 2. Section 547.002, Transportation Code, is amended
1-25 to read as follows:
1-26 Sec. 547.002. APPLICABILITY. Unless a provision is
1-27 specifically made applicable, this chapter and the rules of the
1-28 department adopted under this chapter do not apply to:
1-29 (1) an implement of husbandry;
1-30 (2) road machinery;
1-31 (3) a road roller;
1-32 (4) a farm tractor; [or]
1-33 (5) a bicycle, a bicyclist, or bicycle equipment; or
1-34 (6) a golf cart not required to be registered under
1-35 Section 502.284.
1-36 SECTION 3. Section 601.052(a), Transportation Code, is
1-37 amended to read as follows:
1-38 (a) Section 601.051 does not apply to:
1-39 (1) the operation of a motor vehicle that:
1-40 (A) is a former military vehicle or is at least
1-41 25 years old;
1-42 (B) is used only for exhibitions, club
1-43 activities, parades, and other functions of public interest and not
1-44 for regular transportation; and
1-45 (C) for which the owner files with the
1-46 department an affidavit, signed by the owner, stating that the
1-47 vehicle is a collector's item and used only as described by
1-48 Paragraph (B);
1-49 (2) the operation of a golf cart not required to be
1-50 registered under Section 502.284; or
1-51 (3) a volunteer fire department for the operation of a
1-52 motor vehicle the title of which is held in the name of a volunteer
1-53 fire department.
1-54 SECTION 4. In addition to the substantive changes made by
1-55 this Act, this Act conforms Section 601.052(a), Transportation
1-56 Code, to Section 4, Chapter 443, Acts of the 74th Legislature,
1-57 Regular Session, 1995. To the extent of any conflict, this Act
1-58 prevails over another Act of the 75th Legislature, Regular Session,
1-59 1997, relating to nonsubstantive additions and amendments to
1-60 enacted codes.
1-61 SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.
1-62 SECTION 6. The importance of this legislation and the
1-63 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-64 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-1 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-2 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
2-3 * * * * *