1-1 By: Lewis of Orange (Senate Sponsor - Bernsen) H.B. No. 856
1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House April 9, 1999;
1-3 April 12, 1999, read first time and referred to Committee on State
1-4 Affairs; May 7, 1999, reported favorably by the following vote:
1-5 Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 7, 1999, sent to printer.)
1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-7 AN ACT
1-8 relating to exempting certain persons from the safety belt law.
1-9 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-10 SECTION 1. Section 545.413(e), Transportation Code, is
1-11 amended to read as follows:
1-12 (e) It is a defense to prosecution under this section that:
1-13 (1) the person possesses a written statement from a
1-14 licensed physician stating that for a medical reason the person
1-15 should not wear a safety belt;
1-16 (2) the person presents to the court, not later than
1-17 the 10th day after the date of the offense, a statement from a
1-18 licensed physician stating that for a medical reason the person
1-19 should not wear a safety belt;
1-20 (3) the person is employed by the United States Postal
1-21 Service and performing a duty for that agency that requires the
1-22 operator to service postal boxes from a vehicle or that requires
1-23 frequent entry into and exit from a vehicle; [or]
1-24 (4) the person is engaged in the actual delivery of
1-25 newspapers from a vehicle or is performing newspaper delivery
1-26 duties that require frequent entry into and exit from a vehicle; or
1-27 (5) the person is employed by a public or private
1-28 utility company and is engaged in the reading of meters or
1-29 performing a similar duty for that company requiring the operator
1-30 to frequently enter into and exit from a vehicle.
1-31 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999, and
1-32 applies only to an offense committed on or after that date.
1-33 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
1-34 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-35 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-36 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-37 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
1-38 * * * * *