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AN ACT
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relating to the authority of municipalities to alter speed limits. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 545.356, Transportation Code, is amended |
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by amending Subsections (b-1) and (b-2) and adding Subsection (d) |
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to read as follows: |
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(b-1) The [Except as provided by Subsection (b-2), the] |
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governing body of a municipality, for a highway or a part of a |
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highway in [an urban district in] the municipality that is not an |
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officially designated or marked highway or road of the state |
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highway system, [is 35 feet or less in width, and along which
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vehicular parking is not prohibited on one or both sides of the
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highway,] may declare a lower speed limit of not less than 25 miles |
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per hour, if the governing body determines that the prima facie |
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speed limit on the highway is unreasonable or unsafe. |
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(b-2) Subsection (b-1) applies only [does not apply] to a |
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two-lane, undivided highway or part of a highway [that has four or
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more lanes used for vehicular travel]. |
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(d) The governing body of a municipality that declares a |
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lower speed limit on a highway or part of a highway under Subsection |
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(b-1), not later than February 1 of each year, shall publish on its |
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Internet website and submit to the department a report that |
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compares for each of the two previous calendar years: |
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(1) the number of traffic citations issued by peace |
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officers of the municipality and the alleged speed of the vehicles, |
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for speed limit violations on the highway or part of the highway; |
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(2) the number of warning citations issued by peace |
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officers of the municipality on the highway or part of the highway; |
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and |
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(3) the number of vehicular accidents that resulted in |
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injury or death and were attributable to speed limit violations on |
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the highway or part of the highway. |
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SECTION 2. The reporting and publication requirements |
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prescribed by Section 545.356(d), Transportation Code, as added by |
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this Act, apply only to a municipality that alters a speed limit |
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under Section 545.356, Transportation Code, as amended by this Act, |
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on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 2682 was passed by the House on May 7, |
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2009, by the following vote: Yeas 146, Nays 0, 1 present, not |
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voting; that the House refused to concur in Senate amendments to |
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H.B. No. 2682 on May 29, 2009, and requested the appointment of a |
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conference committee to consider the differences between the two |
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houses; and that the House adopted the conference committee report |
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on H.B. No. 2682 on May 31, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 141, |
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Nays 1, 1 present, not voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 2682 was passed by the Senate, with |
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amendments, on May 27, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays |
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0; at the request of the House, the Senate appointed a conference |
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committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and |
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that the Senate adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No. |
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2682 on June 1, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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APPROVED: __________________ |
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Date |
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__________________ |
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Governor |