By Finnell H.B. No. 3252 75R7671 DRH-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to safety regulations for certain contract carriers. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Article 6675d, Revised Statutes, is amended by 1-5 adding Section 3A to read as follows: 1-6 Sec. 3A. REGULATION OF CONTRACT CARRIERS OF CERTAIN 1-7 PASSENGERS. (a) This section applies only to a contract carrier 1-8 transporting the operating employees of a railroad on a road or 1-9 highway of this state in a vehicle designed to carry 15 or fewer 1-10 passengers. 1-11 (b) The department shall adopt rules regulating the 1-12 operation of a contract carrier to which this section applies. The 1-13 rules must include provisions that: 1-14 (1) prohibit a person from operating a vehicle for 1-15 more than 12 hours in a day; 1-16 (2) require a person that operates a vehicle for a 1-17 number of consecutive hours or days the department determines is 1-18 excessive to rest for a period determined by the department; 1-19 (3) require a contract carrier to keep a record of all 1-20 hours a vehicle subject to regulation under this section is 1-21 operated; and 1-22 (4) are determined by the department to be necessary 1-23 to protect the safety of the passengers being transported or the 1-24 general public. 2-1 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997. 2-2 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-3 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-4 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-5 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-6 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.