1-1 By: Isett, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Bivins) H.B. No. 676
1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House April 26, 1999;
1-3 April 27, 1999, read first time and referred to Committee on State
1-4 Affairs; May 10, 1999, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
1-5 Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 10, 1999,
1-6 sent to printer.)
1-7 COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 676 By: Shapleigh
1-8 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-9 AN ACT
1-10 relating to prima facie speed limits for vehicles on highways and
1-11 beaches.
1-12 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-13 SECTION 1. Section 545.352(b), Transportation Code, is
1-14 amended to read as follows:
1-15 (b) Unless a special hazard exists that requires a slower
1-16 speed for compliance with Section 545.351(b), the following speeds
1-17 are lawful:
1-18 (1) 30 miles per hour in an urban district on a street
1-19 other than an alley and 15 miles per hour in an alley;
1-20 (2) 70 miles per hour in daytime and 65 miles per hour
1-21 in nighttime if the vehicle is [a passenger car, motorcycle,
1-22 passenger car or light truck towing a trailer bearing a vessel, as
1-23 defined by Section 31.003, Parks and Wildlife Code, that is less
1-24 than 26 feet in length, or passenger car or light truck towing a
1-25 trailer or semitrailer designed and used primarily to transport
1-26 livestock,] on a highway numbered by this state or the United
1-27 States outside an urban district, including a farm-to-market or
1-28 ranch-to-market road, except as provided by Subdivision (5)(C);
1-29 (3) 60 miles per hour in daytime and 55 miles per hour
1-30 in nighttime if the vehicle is [a passenger car or motorcycle] on a
1-31 highway that is outside an urban district and not a highway
1-32 numbered by this state or the United States;
1-33 (4) 60 miles per hour outside an urban district if a
1-34 speed limit for the vehicle is not otherwise specified by this
1-35 section; [or]
1-36 (5) outside an urban district:
1-37 (A) 50 miles per hour if the vehicle is a school
1-38 bus on a highway other than an interstate highway;
1-39 (B) 55 miles per hour if the vehicle is a school
1-40 bus on an interstate highway; or
1-41 (C) 60 miles per hour in daytime and 55 miles
1-42 per hour in nighttime if:
1-43 (i) the vehicle is a truck, other than a
1-44 light truck, [or if the vehicle is a] truck tractor, trailer, or
1-45 semitrailer, or a vehicle towing a trailer, semitrailer, another
1-46 motor vehicle, or towable recreational vehicle; and
1-47 (ii) the vehicle is on a farm-to-market or
1-48 ranch-to-market road; or
1-49 (6) on a beach, 15 miles per hour.
1-50 SECTION 2. Section 545.364, Transportation Code, is
1-51 repealed.
1-52 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-53 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
1-54 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-55 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-56 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-57 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
1-58 * * * * *