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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the authority of certain municipalities to regulate a |
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vehicle operating as a limousine. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 215.004, Local Government Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 215.004. TAXICABS AND LIMOUSINES. (a) To protect the |
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public health, safety, and welfare, a municipality by ordinance: |
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(1) shall license, control, and otherwise regulate |
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each private passenger vehicle, regardless of how it is propelled, |
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that provides passenger taxicab transportation services for |
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compensation and [,] is designed for carrying no more than eight |
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passengers; and |
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(2) may license, control, and otherwise regulate each |
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private passenger vehicle, regardless of how it is propelled, that |
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provides passenger limousine transportation services for |
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compensation and is designed for carrying no more than 15 |
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passengers. |
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(a-1) Subsection (a) applies to a taxicab or limousine |
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service that[, and] is operated: |
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(1) within the jurisdiction of the municipality; |
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(2) on property owned by the municipality, singly or |
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jointly with one or more other municipalities or public agencies; |
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(3) on property in which the municipality possesses an |
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ownership interest; or |
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(4) by transporting from the municipality, municipal |
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property, or property in which the municipality has an interest and |
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returning to it. |
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(b) The ordinance may include: |
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(1) regulation of the entry into the business of |
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providing passenger taxicab or limousine transportation services, |
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including controls, limits, or other restrictions on the total |
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number of persons providing the services; |
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(2) regulation of the rates charged for the provision |
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of the services; |
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(3) establishment of safety and insurance |
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requirements; and |
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(4) any other requirement adopted to ensure safe and |
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reliable passenger transportation service. |
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(c) In regulating passenger taxicab or limousine |
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transportation services under this section, a municipality is |
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performing a governmental function. A municipality may carry out |
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the provisions of this section to the extent the governing body of |
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the municipality considers it necessary or appropriate. |
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(d) The provisions of this section relating to the |
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regulation of limousine transportation services apply only to a |
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municipality with a population of more than 1.9 million. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |