1-1     By:  Jones of Dallas, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Cain)  H.B. No. 3092

 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 12, Nays 0; May 18, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-7                                   AN ACT

 1-8     relating to equipment requirements for certain buses.

 1-9           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-10           SECTION 1.  Subchapter L, Chapter 547, Transportation Code,

1-11     is amended by adding Section 547.7011 to read as follows:

1-12           Sec. 547.7011.  ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS FOR OTHER

1-13     BUSES.  (a)  A bus, other than a school bus, that provides public

1-14     transportation and that was acquired on or after September 1, 1997,

1-15     shall be equipped with two or more hazard lamps that:

1-16                 (1)  are mounted at the same level on the rear of the

1-17     bus;

1-18                 (2)  are visible at a distance of 500 feet in normal

1-19     sunlight;

1-20                 (3)  flash; and

1-21                 (4)  emit amber light.

1-22           (b)  An operator of a bus to which this section applies shall

1-23     activate the hazard lamps if the bus stops to load or unload a

1-24     person under 18 years of age.

1-25           (c)  A bus to which this section applies must bear a sign on

1-26     the rear of the bus stating:  "Caution--children may be exiting".

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

1-28           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-29     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-30     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-31     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-32     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

1-33                                  * * * * *