| 1 | 1 | | By: Rodriguez, Martinez (Senate Sponsor - Watson) H.B. No. 993 |
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| 2 | 2 | | (In the Senate - Received from the House March 31, 2011; |
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| 3 | 3 | | April 13, 2011, read first time and referred to Committee on |
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| 4 | 4 | | Transportation and Homeland Security; May 9, 2011, reported |
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| 5 | 5 | | favorably by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 9, 2011, |
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| 6 | 6 | | sent to printer.) |
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| 7 | 7 | | |
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| 8 | 8 | | |
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| 9 | 9 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 10 | 10 | | AN ACT |
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| 11 | 11 | | relating to the closure of a road or highway by certain |
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| 12 | 12 | | firefighters. |
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| 13 | 13 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 14 | 14 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 546, Transportation Code, |
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| 15 | 15 | | is amended by adding Section 546.007 to read as follows: |
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| 16 | 16 | | Sec. 546.007. CLOSURE OF ROAD OR HIGHWAY BY FIREFIGHTER. |
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| 17 | 17 | | (a) This section applies only to a firefighter who is employed by |
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| 18 | 18 | | or a member of: |
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| 19 | 19 | | (1) a fire department operated by an emergency |
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| 20 | 20 | | services district; |
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| 21 | 21 | | (2) a volunteer fire department; or |
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| 22 | 22 | | (3) a fire department of a general-law municipality. |
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| 23 | 23 | | (b) A firefighter, when performing the firefighter's |
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| 24 | 24 | | official duties, may close one or more lanes of a road or highway to |
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| 25 | 25 | | protect the safety of persons or property. |
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| 26 | 26 | | (c) The closure shall be limited to the affected lane or |
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| 27 | 27 | | lanes and one additional lane unless the safety of emergency |
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| 28 | 28 | | personnel operating on the road or highway requires more lanes to be |
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| 29 | 29 | | closed. |
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| 30 | 30 | | (d) In making a closure under this section, the firefighter |
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| 31 | 31 | | shall deploy one or more authorized emergency vehicles with audible |
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| 32 | 32 | | and visual signals that meet the requirements of Sections 547.305 |
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| 33 | 33 | | and 547.702. |
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| 34 | 34 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |
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| 35 | 35 | | * * * * * |
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