By Lindsay S.B. No. 1416 77R5118 JAT-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to high-occupancy vehicle lanes. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Section 224.153, Transportation Code, is amended 1-5 by adding Subsections (c)-(e) to read as follows: 1-6 (c) A high-occupancy vehicle lane under this section must be 1-7 designed, constructed, operated, and maintained so as to allow 1-8 vehicles to move freely between the high-occupancy vehicle lane and 1-9 adjacent lanes of the highway. This subsection does not prohibit 1-10 the erection of a barrier between lanes for traffic moving in 1-11 opposite directions. 1-12 (d) Subsection (c) applies only to a high-occupancy vehicle 1-13 lane that is initially constructed by the department or designated 1-14 by the commission after September 1, 2001. 1-15 (e) Subsection (c) does not require the removal of a barrier 1-16 between an existing high-occupancy vehicle lane constructed before 1-17 September 1, 2001, and an adjacent lane except that such a barrier 1-18 shall be removed in connection with a major construction project of 1-19 the highway facility or the high-occupancy vehicle lane. 1-20 SECTION 2. (a) The department shall adopt the rules 1-21 necessary to implement Section 224.153, Transportation Code, as 1-22 amended by this Act, not later than December 31, 2001. 1-23 (b) This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote 1-24 of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided 2-1 by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does 2-2 not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes 2-3 effect September 1, 2001.