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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the designation of an area of highway by a municipality |
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as an immediate removal area. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 683.002(a), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) For the purposes of this chapter, a motor vehicle is |
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abandoned if the motor vehicle: |
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(1) is inoperable, is more than five years old, and has |
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been left unattended on public property for more than 48 hours; |
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(2) has remained illegally on public property for more |
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than 48 hours; |
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(3) has remained on private property without the |
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consent of the owner or person in charge of the property for more |
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than 48 hours; |
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(4) has been left unattended on the right-of-way of a |
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designated county, state, or federal highway for more than 48 |
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hours; |
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(5) has been left unattended for more than 24 hours on |
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the right-of-way of a turnpike project constructed and maintained |
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by the Texas Turnpike Authority division of the Texas Department of |
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Transportation or a controlled access highway; [or] |
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(6) is considered an abandoned motor vehicle under |
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Section 644.153(r); or |
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(7) is unattended in an area designated by a |
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municipality as an immediate removal area as provided by Section |
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683.004. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 683, Transportation Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 683.004 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 683.004. DESIGNATION OF IMMEDIATE REMOVAL AREAS. (a) |
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A municipality may designate a segment of highway in the |
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municipality's jurisdiction as an area in which the immediate |
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removal of unattended vehicles is necessary to prevent traffic |
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safety hazards. |
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(b) A municipality that makes a designation under |
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Subsection (a) must post signs in the area providing conspicuous |
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notice that the area is an immediate removal area and that |
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unattended vehicles may be immediately towed. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |