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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the use of a flashing warning signal light and certain |
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other equipment by a person operating a school bus. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 547.701, Transportation Code, is amended |
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by amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (c-1) to read as |
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follows: |
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(c) When a school bus is being stopped or is stopped on a |
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highway to permit students to board or exit the bus, the operator of |
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the bus shall activate all flashing warning signal lights and other |
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equipment on the bus designed to warn other drivers that the bus is |
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stopping to load or unload children. |
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(c-1) A person may not operate [such] a light or other |
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equipment described by Subsection (c) except when a school [the] |
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bus is being stopped or is stopped on a highway to: |
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(1) permit a student [students] to board or exit the |
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bus; or |
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(2) distribute food to a student or the parent or |
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guardian of a student. |
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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 September 1, 2021. |