By: Carona  S.B. No. 327
         (In the Senate - Filed January 26, 2007; February 14, 2007,
  read first time and referred to Committee on Transportation and
  Homeland Security; February 26, 2007, reported favorably by the
  following vote:  Yeas 9, Nays 0; February 26, 2007, sent to
  printer.)
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to cargo transported by vehicle; providing a criminal
  penalty.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subsection (a), Section 547.004, Transportation
  Code, is amended to read as follows:
         (a)  A person commits an offense that is a misdemeanor if the
  person operates or moves or, as an owner, knowingly permits another
  to operate or move, a vehicle that:
               (1)  is unsafe so as to endanger a person;
               (2)  is not equipped in a manner that complies with the
  vehicle equipment standards and requirements established by this
  chapter; [or]
               (3)  is equipped in a manner prohibited by this
  chapter; or
               (4)  transports cargo that is not adequately secured to
  prevent the cargo from falling from the vehicle.
         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 the 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, 2007.
 
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