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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the operation of and equipment for vehicles. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 522.004(a), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) This chapter does not apply to: |
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(1) a vehicle that is controlled and operated by a |
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farmer and: |
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(A) used to transport agricultural products, |
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farm machinery, or farm supplies to or from a farm; |
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(B) used within 150 miles of the person's farm; |
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and |
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(C) not used in the operations of a common or |
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contract motor carrier; |
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(2) a fire-fighting or emergency vehicle necessary to |
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the preservation of life or property or the execution of emergency |
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governmental functions, whether operated by an employee of a |
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political subdivision or by a volunteer fire fighter; |
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(3) a military vehicle or a commercial motor vehicle, |
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when operated for military purposes by military personnel, |
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including: |
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(A) active duty military personnel, including |
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personnel serving in the United States Coast Guard; and |
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(B) members of the reserves and national guard on |
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active duty, including personnel on full-time national guard duty, |
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personnel engaged in part-time training, and national guard |
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military technicians; |
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(4) a recreational vehicle that is driven for personal |
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use; |
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(5) a vehicle that is owned, leased, or controlled by |
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an air carrier, as defined by Section 21.155, and that is driven or |
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operated exclusively by an employee of the air carrier only on the |
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premises of an airport, as defined by Section 22.001, on service |
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roads to which the public does not have access; [or] |
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(6) a vehicle used exclusively to transport seed |
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cotton modules or cotton burrs; |
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(7) a vehicle, including a vehicle described by |
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Section 504.502(i), that is: |
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(A) operated intrastate; and |
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(B) driven by an individual not for compensation |
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and not in the furtherance of a commercial enterprise; or |
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(8) a covered farm vehicle as defined by 49 C.F.R. |
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Section 390.5. |
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SECTION 2. Section 545.058(c), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(c) A limitation in this section on driving on an improved |
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shoulder does not apply to: |
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(1) an authorized emergency vehicle responding to a |
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call; |
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(2) a police patrol; [or] |
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(3) a bicycle; or |
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(4) a slow-moving vehicle, as defined by Section |
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547.001. |
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SECTION 3. Section 545.156(a), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) On the immediate approach of an authorized emergency |
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vehicle using audible and visual signals that meet the requirements |
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of Sections 547.305 and 547.702, or of a police vehicle lawfully |
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using only an audible or visual signal, an operator, unless |
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otherwise directed by a police officer, shall: |
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(1) yield the right-of-way; |
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(2) immediately drive to a position parallel to and as |
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close as possible to the right-hand edge or curb of the roadway |
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clear of any intersection; and |
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(3) stop and remain standing until the authorized |
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emergency vehicle has passed. |
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SECTION 4. Section 546.002(b), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(b) Sections 546.001(2), (3), and (4) apply [Section
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546.001 applies] only when the operator is: |
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(1) responding to an emergency call; |
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(2) pursuing an actual or suspected violator of the |
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law; |
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(3) responding to but not returning from a fire alarm; |
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(4) directing or diverting traffic for public safety |
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purposes; or |
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(5) conducting a police escort. |
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SECTION 5. Section 547.405(d), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(d) A trailer, semitrailer, or pole trailer that is equipped |
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with air or vacuum brakes or that has a gross weight heavier than |
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4,500 [3,000] pounds shall be equipped with brakes that: |
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(1) operate on all wheels required to have brakes |
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under Section 547.402; and |
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(2) are promptly applied automatically and remain |
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applied for at least 15 minutes in case of a breakaway from the |
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towing vehicle. |
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SECTION 6. Section 504.947, Transportation Code, is |
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repealed. |
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SECTION 7. 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 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |