| 1 | 1 | | H.B. No. 4465 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | AN ACT |
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| 5 | 5 | | relating to "Welcome to Texas" signs on highways entering Texas and |
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| 6 | 6 | | to the placement of Texas flags at international ports-of-entry. |
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| 7 | 7 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 8 | 8 | | SECTION 1. Section 201.617, Transportation Code, as added |
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| 9 | 9 | | by Chapter 474 (H.B. 137), Acts of the 79th Legislature, Regular |
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| 10 | 10 | | Session, 2005, is repealed. |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 2. Subchapter O, Chapter 201, Transportation Code, |
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| 12 | 12 | | is amended by adding Section 201.979 to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 201.979. "WELCOME TO TEXAS" SIGNS. (a) The |
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| 14 | 14 | | department shall erect a "Welcome to Texas" sign to designate the |
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| 15 | 15 | | state boundary on an interstate, United States, or state highway |
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| 16 | 16 | | entering the state. |
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| 17 | 17 | | (b) A "Welcome to Texas" sign erected by the department must |
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| 18 | 18 | | include the following elements: |
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| 19 | 19 | | (1) a depiction of the state flag; and |
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| 20 | 20 | | (2) the phrase "Drive Friendly - The Texas Way." |
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| 21 | 21 | | (c) A "Welcome to Texas" sign may also include the phrase |
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| 22 | 22 | | "Welcome to Texas - Proud Home of Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson, |
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| 23 | 23 | | George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush." |
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| 24 | 24 | | (d) Notwithstanding Subsection (c) above, if the president |
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| 25 | 25 | | of the United States is a resident of Texas, a "Welcome to Texas" |
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| 26 | 26 | | sign erected by the department shall include the phrase "Welcome to |
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| 27 | 27 | | Texas - Proud Home of President [insert name of the president of the |
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| 28 | 28 | | United States]." |
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| 29 | 29 | | SECTION 3. Subchapter O, Chapter 201, Transportation Code, |
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| 30 | 30 | | is amended by adding Section 201.980 to read as follows: |
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| 31 | 31 | | Sec. 201.980. TEXAS FLAGS AT INTERNATIONAL PORTS-OF-ENTRY. |
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| 32 | 32 | | (a) The department shall erect and maintain a Texas flag to |
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| 33 | 33 | | designate the state boundary at an appropriate location at or near |
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| 34 | 34 | | each interstate, United States, or state highway originating at an |
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| 35 | 35 | | official port-of-entry along an international border. |
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| 36 | 36 | | (b) A Texas flag flown under this section shall be visible |
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| 37 | 37 | | from the international port-of-entry and must be equal in size or |
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| 38 | 38 | | larger than the flag of any foreign nation flown at the |
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| 39 | 39 | | port-of-entry operating on the other side of the international |
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| 40 | 40 | | border. |
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| 41 | 41 | | (c) The department may contract with any governmental or |
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| 42 | 42 | | private entity for the care and maintenance of any Texas flag flown |
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| 43 | 43 | | under this section. |
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| 44 | 44 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2010. |
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| 45 | 45 | | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 46 | 46 | | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 47 | 47 | | I certify that H.B. No. 4465 was passed by the House on April |
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| 48 | 48 | | 30, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 144, Nays 0, 1 present, not |
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| 49 | 49 | | voting. |
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| 50 | 50 | | ______________________________ |
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| 51 | 51 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 52 | 52 | | I certify that H.B. No. 4465 was passed by the Senate on May |
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| 53 | 53 | | 26, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
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| 54 | 54 | | ______________________________ |
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| 55 | 55 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 56 | 56 | | APPROVED: _____________________ |
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| 57 | 57 | | Date |
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| 58 | 58 | | _____________________ |
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| 59 | 59 | | Governor |
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