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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the operation of off-highway vehicles on a public |
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street, road, or highway. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 502.001, Transportation Code, is amended |
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by adding Subdivision (44-a) to read as follows: |
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(44-a) "Utility vehicle" has the meaning assigned by |
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Section 663.001. |
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SECTION 2. Section 502.140, Transportation Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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Sec. 502.140. CERTAIN OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLES. (a) Except as |
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otherwise provided by Subsection (b), a person may not register an |
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all-terrain vehicle, [or] a recreational off-highway vehicle, or a |
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utility vehicle, with or without design alterations, for operation |
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on a public highway. |
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(b) The state, a county, or a municipality may register an |
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all-terrain vehicle, [or] a recreational off-highway vehicle, or a |
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utility vehicle that is owned by the state, county, or municipality |
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for operation on a public beach or highway to maintain public safety |
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and welfare. |
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(c) [(d)] Section 504.401 does not apply to an all-terrain |
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vehicle, [or] a recreational off-highway vehicle, or a utility |
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vehicle. |
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[(e)
An all-terrain vehicle or recreational off-highway
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vehicle that is owned by the state, a county, or a municipality and
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operated in compliance with Section 663.037 does not require
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registration under Subsection (b).] |
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SECTION 3. The heading to Section 663.037, Transportation |
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Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 663.037. OPERATION ON PUBLIC ROADWAY [PROHIBITED]. |
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SECTION 4. Sections 663.037(a) and (f), Transportation |
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Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) A person may [not] operate an off-highway vehicle on a |
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public street, road, or highway only [except] as provided by this |
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section and Section 663.0372. |
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(f) This [Except as provided by Subsection (g), this] |
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section does not apply to the operation of an off-highway vehicle |
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that is registered under Section 502.140(b) [owned by the state, a
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county, or a municipality by a person who is an authorized operator
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of the vehicle]. |
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SECTION 5. Subchapter C, Chapter 663, Transportation Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 663.0372 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 663.0372. OPERATION ON PUBLIC ROADWAY IN CERTAIN |
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COUNTIES. (a) In addition to operation authorized by Sections |
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663.037 and 502.140(b), an off-highway vehicle may be operated on a |
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public street, road, or highway in a county with a population of |
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less than 150,000 in a manner authorized in that location for the |
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operation of a neighborhood electric vehicle. |
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(b) If the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles adopts rules |
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relating to the registration of and issuance of license plates for |
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neighborhood electric vehicles under Section 551.302, the |
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department must adopt corresponding rules for off-highway vehicles |
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operating under this section. |
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SECTION 6. 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 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |