1-1     By:  Coleman (Senate Sponsor - Ellis)                  H.B. No. 996
 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House April 24, 2001;
 1-3     April 25, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on
 1-4     Intergovernmental Relations; May 2, 2001, reported favorably by the
 1-5     following vote:  Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 2, 2001, sent to printer.)
 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-7                                   AN ACT
 1-8     relating to the authority of a municipality to authorize the
 1-9     removal of certain motor vehicles from public roadways in the
1-10     municipality to aid in the enforcement of parking ordinances of the
1-11     municipality.
1-12           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-13           SECTION 1.  Section 684.054, Transportation Code, is amended
1-14     to read as follows:
1-15           Sec. 684.054.  AUTHORITY FOR REMOVAL OF VEHICLE FROM PUBLIC
1-16     ROADWAY.  (a)  Under an ordinance of a municipality regulating the
1-17     parking of vehicles in the municipality, to aid in the enforcement
1-18     of the ordinance, an employee designated by the municipality may be
1-19     authorized to:
1-20                 (1)  immobilize a vehicle parked in the municipality;
1-21     and
1-22                 (2)  remove an immobilized vehicle from a public
1-23     roadway in the municipality.
1-24           (b)  A parking facility owner or towing company may not
1-25     remove a vehicle from a public roadway except under:
1-26                 (1)  this chapter or a municipal ordinance that
1-27     complies with Section 684.101; or
1-28                 (2)  the direction of a peace officer or the owner or
1-29     operator of the vehicle.
1-30           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
1-31     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
1-32     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
1-33     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
1-34     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
1-35                                  * * * * *