By Gallego H.B. No. 3328
76R9398 WP-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to speed limits on highways of this state.
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) 75 [70] miles per hour in daytime and 65 miles per
1-12 hour 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 States
1-18 outside an urban district, including a farm-to-market or
1-19 ranch-to-market road;
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
2-1 speed limit for the vehicle is not otherwise specified by this
2-2 section; or
2-3 (5) outside an urban district:
2-4 (A) 50 miles per hour if the vehicle is a school
2-5 bus on a highway other than an interstate highway;
2-6 (B) 55 miles per hour if the vehicle is a school
2-7 bus on an interstate highway; or
2-8 (C) 60 miles per hour in daytime and 55 miles
2-9 per hour in nighttime if the vehicle is a truck, other than a light
2-10 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.
2-13 SECTION 2. Notwithstanding the change in law made by this
2-14 Act, on a highway or portion of a highway that on the effective
2-15 date of this Act has a speed limit of 70 miles per hour in daytime
2-16 and 65 miles per hour in nighttime, the speed limit may be
2-17 increased as provided by this Act only if the Texas Department of
2-18 Transportation determines that the increase is appropriate on that
2-19 highway or portion of highway.
2-20 SECTION 3. (a) This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-21 The change in law made by this Act applies only to an offense
2-22 committed on or after the effective date of this Act. For purposes
2-23 of this section, an offense is committed before the effective date
2-24 of this Act if any element of the offense occurs before that date.
2-25 (b) An offense committed before the effective date of this
2-26 Act is covered by the law in effect when the offense was committed,
2-27 and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
3-1 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
3-2 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-3 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-4 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-5 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.