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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the use of safety belts while operating or riding in a |
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passenger vehicle; creating an offense. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 545.413, Transportation Code, is amended |
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by amending Subsections (a) and (d) and adding Subsection (a-1) to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) A person commits an offense if: |
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(1) the person: |
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(A) is at least 15 years of age; |
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(B) is riding in [the front seat of] a passenger |
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vehicle while the vehicle is being operated; |
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(C) is occupying a seat that is equipped with a |
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safety belt; and |
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(D) is not secured by a safety belt; or |
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(2) as the operator of a school bus equipped with a |
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safety belt for the operator's seat, the person is not secured by |
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the safety belt. |
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(a-1) A person commits an offense if the person: |
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(1) operates a passenger vehicle that is equipped with |
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safety belts; and |
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(2) allows another person who is at least 17 years of |
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age to ride in the vehicle without requiring the other person to be |
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secured by a safety belt, provided the other person is occupying a |
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seat that is equipped with a safety belt. |
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(d) An offense under Subsection (a) or (a-1) is a |
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misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than $25 or more than |
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$50. An offense under Subsection (b) is a misdemeanor punishable by |
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a fine of not less than $100 or more than $200. |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is |
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governed by the law in effect when the offense was committed, and |
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the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For |
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purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the |
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effective date of this Act if any element of the offense was |
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committed before that date. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |