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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the regulation of traffic on certain roads by counties. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 542, Transportation Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 542.0081 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 542.0081. TRAFFIC REGULATIONS: SPECIAL DISTRICT IN |
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CERTAIN COUNTIES. (a) This section applies only to a road owned or |
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maintained by a special district that is located in the |
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unincorporated area of a county with a population of less than one |
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million. |
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(b) The residents of all or any portion of a special |
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district may file a petition with the commissioners court of the |
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county in which the roads are located requesting that county |
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enforcement of traffic rules on county roads be extended to the |
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roads of the district. The petition must: |
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(1) specify the roads over which county enforcement is |
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sought; |
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(2) specify the traffic rules for which county |
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enforcement is sought; and |
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(3) be signed by 50 percent of the property owners |
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residing in the area that is served by the roads of the district |
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over which county enforcement is sought. |
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(c) If the commissioners court finds that granting the |
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request is in the interest of the county generally, the |
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commissioners court shall by order extend the enforcement of |
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traffic rules by the county to the roads of the district specified |
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in the petition. The order may grant enforcement of some or all |
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traffic rules requested in the petition. |
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(d) As a condition of extending a traffic rule under |
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Subsection (c), the commissioners court may require the special |
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district to pay for all or a part of the costs of extending |
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enforcement to the roads of the district. The commissioners court |
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shall consult with the sheriff to determine the cost of extending |
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enforcement. |
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(e) On issuance of an order under this section, the roads |
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specified in the order are considered to be county roads for the |
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purposes of the application and enforcement of the specified |
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traffic rules. The commissioners court may place official traffic |
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control devices on the right-of-way of the roads of the district if |
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those devices relate to the specified traffic rules. |
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SECTION 2. 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, 2011. |
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