By Jones of Dallas                              H.B. No. 3092

      75R5325 DWS-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to a requirement that traffic stop when a bus other than a

 1-3     school bus is loading or unloading persons under 18 years of age.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter L, Chapter 547, Transportation Code,

 1-6     is amended by adding Section 547.7011 to read as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 547.7011.  ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS FOR OTHER

 1-8     BUSES.  (a) A bus that provides public transportation other than a

 1-9     school bus shall be equipped with a visual signal warning other

1-10     vehicle operators that the bus may be stopping to load or unload

1-11     persons under 18 years of age.  The warning signal may be of a

1-12     design determined by the entity owning the bus but at a minimum

1-13     must be conspicuous and must direct other vehicle operators to

1-14     stop.

1-15           (b)  An operator of a bus to which this section applies shall

1-16     activate the warning equipment if the bus stops to load or unload a

1-17     person under 18 years of age at a location that is within two miles

1-18     of a school during the two-hour period before classes begin at the

1-19     school and the two-hour period after classes end at the school.

1-20           SECTION 2.  Sections 545.066(a) and (b), Transportation Code,

1-21     are amended to read as follows:

1-22           (a)  An operator on a highway, when approaching from either

1-23     direction a [school] bus stopped on the highway to receive or

1-24     discharge a schoolchild:

 2-1                 (1)  shall stop before reaching the [school] bus when

 2-2     the bus is operating a visual signal as required by Section 547.701

 2-3     or 547.7011;  and

 2-4                 (2)  may not proceed until:

 2-5                       (A)  the [school] bus resumes motion;

 2-6                       (B)  the operator is signaled by the bus driver

 2-7     to proceed;  or

 2-8                       (C)  the visual signal is no longer actuated.

 2-9           (b)  An operator on a highway having separate roadways is not

2-10     required to stop:

2-11                 (1)  for a [school] bus that is on a different roadway;

2-12     or

2-13                 (2)  if on a controlled-access highway, for a [school]

2-14     bus that is stopped:

2-15                       (A)  in a loading zone that is a part of or

2-16     adjacent to the highway;  and

2-17                       (B)  where pedestrians are not permitted to cross

2-18     the roadway.

2-19           SECTION 3.  An entity that owns a bus to which Section

2-20     547.7011, Transportation Code, as added by this Act, applies shall

2-21     equip the bus as required by that section before January 1, 1998.

2-22           SECTION 4.  (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this

2-23     section, this Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

2-24           (b)  Section 2 of this Act takes effect January 1, 1998.

2-25           SECTION 5.  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.