By Wilson H.B. No. 942 76R3101 WP-F A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to applying traffic laws to private roads or parking lots 1-3 generally used by the public. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 542, Transportation Code, 1-6 is amended by adding Section 542.007 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 542.007. SPEED AND TRAFFIC CONTROL RESTRICTIONS ON 1-8 PRIVATE ROADS OR PARKING LOTS GENERALLY USED BY THE PUBLIC. (a) 1-9 The owners of a private road or private parking lot generally used 1-10 by the public may petition the Texas Transportation Commission or, 1-11 if the road or lot is located in a municipality, may petition the 1-12 municipality to extend any of the traffic rules of this subtitle to 1-13 the road or lot. The petition must specify the traffic rules that 1-14 are sought to be extended. 1-15 (b) After the commission or municipality receives a petition 1-16 and verifies the ownership of its signers, the commission or 1-17 municipality may issue an order extending a traffic rule of this 1-18 subtitle to the private road or lot if the commission or 1-19 municipality finds the order is in the interest of the public 1-20 generally. The order must specify which traffic rules of this 1-21 subtitle apply to the road or lot. 1-22 (c) If an order is not issued as provided by Subsection (b) 1-23 within 90 days after the date the petition is received, the 1-24 commission or municipality shall hold a public hearing on the 2-1 advisability of making the requested traffic rules applicable. The 2-2 hearing must be held in the county in which the portion of the road 2-3 or lot that is the subject of the petition is located. The 2-4 commission or municipality shall publish notice of the hearing in a 2-5 newspaper of general circulation in that county before the 10th day 2-6 before the date of the hearing. 2-7 (d) At the hearing, if the commission or municipality finds 2-8 that the order would be in the interests of the public generally, 2-9 the commission or municipality shall issue an order extending the 2-10 traffic rules to the private road or lot. 2-11 (e) After an order is issued under this section, the private 2-12 road or lot is considered to be a public highway for purposes of 2-13 setting and enforcing the specified traffic rules, and the 2-14 commission or municipality may place speed limit signs or traffic 2-15 control devices on property abutting the private road or lot if 2-16 those signs or devices relate to the specified traffic rule and if 2-17 the consent of the owner of that property is obtained. 2-18 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999. 2-19 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-20 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-21 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-22 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-23 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.