By Isett, Hardcastle, Chisum, Hupp, Palmer, H.B. No. 676
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to prima facie speed limits for vehicles on highways.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Section 545.352(b), Transportation Code, is
1-5 amended to read as follows:
1-6 (b) Unless a special hazard exists that requires a slower
1-7 speed for compliance with Section 545.351(b), the following speeds
1-8 are lawful:
1-9 (1) 30 miles per hour in an urban district on a street
1-10 other than an alley and 15 miles per hour in an alley;
1-11 (2) 70 miles per hour in daytime and 65 miles per hour
1-12 in nighttime if the vehicle is [a passenger car, motorcycle,
1-13 passenger car or light truck towing a trailer bearing a vessel, as
1-14 defined by Section 31.003, Parks and Wildlife Code, that is less
1-15 than 26 feet in length, or passenger car or light truck towing a
1-16 trailer or semitrailer designed and used primarily to transport
1-17 livestock,] on a highway numbered by this state or the United
1-18 States outside an urban district, including a farm-to-market or
1-19 ranch-to-market road, except as provided by Subdivision (5)(C);
1-20 (3) 60 miles per hour in daytime and 55 miles per hour
1-21 in nighttime if the vehicle is [a passenger car or motorcycle] on a
1-22 highway that is outside an urban district and not a highway
1-23 numbered by this state or the United States;
1-24 (4) 60 miles per hour outside an urban district if a
1-25 speed limit for the vehicle is not otherwise specified by this
2-1 section; or
2-2 (5) outside an urban district:
2-3 (A) 50 miles per hour if the vehicle is a school
2-4 bus on a highway other than an interstate highway;
2-5 (B) 55 miles per hour if the vehicle is a school
2-6 bus on an interstate highway; or
2-7 (C) 60 miles per hour in daytime and 55 miles
2-8 per hour in nighttime if:
2-9 (i) the vehicle is a truck, other than a
2-10 light truck, [or if the vehicle is a] truck tractor, trailer, or
2-11 semitrailer, or a vehicle towing a trailer, semitrailer, another
2-12 motor vehicle, or towable recreational vehicle; and
2-13 (ii) the vehicle is on a farm-to-market or
2-14 ranch-to-market road.
2-15 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-16 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
2-17 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-18 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-19 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-20 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.