1-1 By: Hawley (Senate Sponsor - Shapleigh) H.B. No. 932
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 12, 1999, reported favorably by the following vote:
1-5 Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 12, 1999, sent to printer.)
1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-7 AN ACT
1-8 relating to the use of towing safety chains.
1-9 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-10 SECTION 1. Sections 545.410(a), (b), and (d), Transportation
1-11 Code, are amended to read as follows:
1-12 (a) An operator of a passenger car or light truck may not
1-13 draw a trailer, semitrailer, [or] house trailer, or another motor
1-14 vehicle unless safety chains of a type approved by the department
1-15 are attached in a manner approved by the department from the
1-16 trailer, semitrailer, [or] house trailer, or drawn motor vehicle
1-17 to the drawing vehicle. This subsection does not apply to the
1-18 drawing of a trailer or semitrailer used for agricultural
1-19 purposes.
1-20 (b) The department shall adopt rules prescribing the type of
1-21 safety chains required to be used according to the weight of the
1-22 trailer, semitrailer, [or] house trailer, or motor vehicle being
1-23 drawn. The rules shall:
1-24 (1) require safety chains to be strong enough to
1-25 maintain the connection between the trailer, semitrailer, [or]
1-26 house trailer, or drawn motor vehicle and the drawing vehicle; and
1-27 (2) show the proper method to attach safety chains
1-28 between the trailer, semitrailer, [or] house trailer, or drawn
1-29 motor vehicle and the drawing vehicle.
1-30 (d) This section does not apply to a trailer, semitrailer,
1-31 [or] house trailer, or drawn motor vehicle that is operated in
1-32 compliance with the federal motor carrier safety regulations.
1-33 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-34 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
1-35 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-36 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-37 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-38 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
1-39 * * * * *