By Bivins                                       S.B. No. 1482

      75R6664 DWS-F                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the regulation of the distribution and sale of towable

 1-3     recreational vehicles.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 1.03, Texas Motor Vehicle Commission Code

 1-6     (Article 4413(36), Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended by

 1-7     amending Subdivision (1) and adding Subdivision (28) to read as

 1-8     follows:

 1-9                 (1)  "Motor vehicle" means:

1-10                       (A)  every fully self-propelled vehicle which has

1-11     as its primary purpose the transport of a person or persons, or

1-12     property, on a public highway, and having two or more wheels;

1-13                       (B)  every two or more wheeled fully

1-14     self-propelled, titled vehicle which has as its primary purpose the

1-15     transport of a person or persons or property and is not

1-16     manufactured for use on public streets, roads, or highways;  [or]

1-17                       (C)  an engine, transmission, or rear axle

1-18     manufactured for installation in a vehicle having as its primary

1-19     purpose the transport of a person or persons or property on a

1-20     public highway and having a gross vehicle weight rating of more

1-21     than 16,000 pounds, whether or not attached to a vehicle chassis;

1-22     or

1-23                       (D)  a towable recreational vehicle.

1-24                 (28)  "Towable recreational vehicle" means a

 2-1     nonmotorized vehicle that is designed for temporary human

 2-2     habitation for recreational, camping, or seasonal use and:

 2-3                       (A)  is titled and registered with the Texas

 2-4     Department of Transportation through the county tax

 2-5     assessor-collector;

 2-6                       (B)  is permanently built on a single chassis;

 2-7                       (C)  contains one or more life support systems;

 2-8     and

 2-9                       (D)  is designed to be towable by another motor

2-10     vehicle.

2-11           SECTION 2.  Section 4.02(c)(2), Texas Motor Vehicle

2-12     Commission Code (Article 4413(36), Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes),

2-13     is amended to read as follows:

2-14                 (2)  Except as provided in this subdivision, no

2-15     licensee may participate in a new motor vehicle show or exhibition

2-16     unless the Commission has first had written notice at least 30 days

2-17     prior to the opening day of the show or exhibition and its written

2-18     approval has been granted.  A licensee may not sell or offer for

2-19     sale a new motor vehicle at a show or exhibition; however,

2-20     dealership personnel may be present to aid in the showing or

2-21     exhibiting of new motor vehicles.  This subdivision does not

2-22     prohibit the sale of a towable recreational vehicle, motor home,

2-23     ambulance, or fire-fighting vehicle at a show or exhibition if the

2-24     show or exhibition is approved by the Commission and if the sale

2-25     does not otherwise violate a provision of law.

2-26           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

2-27           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

 3-1     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 3-2     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 3-3     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 3-4     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.