By:  Brimer                                                       S.B. No. 176


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the required use of towing safety chains on certain 
vehicles.   
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Subsection (a), Section 545.410, Transportation 
Code, is amended to read as follows:
	(a)  An operator of a passenger car or light truck may not 
draw a trailer, semitrailer, house trailer, or another motor 
vehicle unless safety chains of a type approved by the department 
are attached in a manner approved by the department from the 
trailer, semitrailer, house trailer, or drawn motor vehicle to the 
drawing vehicle.  The department by rule shall exempt certain types 
of trailers that exhibit adequate safety standards from the 
requirements of this subsection [This subsection does not apply to 
the drawing of a trailer or semitrailer used for agricultural 
purposes].
	SECTION 2.  (a)  The change in law made by this Act applies 
only to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this 
Act.  For purposes of this section, an offense is committed before 
the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurs 
before that date.
	(b)  An offense committed before the effective date of this 
Act is covered by the law in effect when the offense was committed, 
and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.