By Jones of Dallas, Hodge, Lewis of Tarrant           H.B. No. 3092

         75R13476 DWS-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to equipment requirements for certain buses.

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

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Subchapter L, Chapter 547, Transportation Code,

 1-5     is amended by adding Section 547.7011 to read as follows:

 1-6           Sec. 547.7011.  ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS FOR OTHER

 1-7     BUSES.  (a)  A bus, other than a school bus, that provides public

 1-8     transportation and that was acquired on or after September 1, 1997,

 1-9     shall be equipped with two or more hazard lamps that:

1-10                 (1)  are mounted at the same level on the rear of the

1-11     bus;

1-12                 (2)  are visible at a distance of 500 feet in normal

1-13     sunlight;

1-14                 (3)  flash; and

1-15                 (4)  emit amber light.

1-16           (b)  An operator of a bus to which this section applies shall

1-17     activate the hazard lamps if the bus stops to load or unload a

1-18     person under 18 years of age.

1-19           (c)  A bus to which this section applies must bear a sign on

1-20     the rear of the bus stating:  "Caution--children may be exiting".

1-21           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-22           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-23     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-24     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.