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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the offense of leaving a motor vehicle unattended. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 545.404, Transportation Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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Sec. 545.404. UNATTENDED MOTOR VEHICLE. (a) Except as |
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provided by Subsection (b), an [An] operator may not leave a [the] |
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vehicle unattended on a public highway or street without: |
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(1) stopping the engine; |
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(2) locking the ignition; |
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(3) removing the key from the ignition; |
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(4) setting the parking brake effectively; and |
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(5) if standing on a grade, turning the front wheels to |
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the curb or side of the highway. |
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(b) The requirements of Subsections (a)(1), (2), and (3) do |
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not apply to an operator who starts the engine of a vehicle by using |
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a remote starter or other similar device that: |
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(1) remotely starts the vehicle's engine without |
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placing the key in the ignition; and |
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(2) requires the key to be placed in the ignition or |
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physically present in the vehicle before the vehicle can be |
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operated. |
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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 on the date the offense was committed, |
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and 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 occurred |
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before that date. |
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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, 2015. |