Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB449 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	By: Bettencourt S.B. No. 449
2		-	(Gonzales)
	1	+	S.B. No. 449
3	2
4	3
5		-	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	4		AN ACT
7	5		relating to the titling, registration, and operation of an
8	6		autocycle.
9	7		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	8		SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 501, Transportation Code,
11	9		is amended by adding Section 501.008 to read as follows:
12	10		Sec. 501.008. TITLE FOR AUTOCYCLE. (a) In this section,
13	11		"autocycle" means a motor vehicle, other than a tractor, that is:
14	12		(1) designed to have when propelled not more than
15	13		three wheels on the ground;
16	14		(2) equipped with a steering wheel;
17	15		(3) equipped with seating that does not require the
18	16		operator to straddle or sit astride the seat; and
19	17		(4) manufactured and certified to comply with federal
20	18		safety requirements for a motorcycle.
21	19		(b) For purposes of issuing a title under this chapter, an
22	20		autocycle is considered to be a motorcycle.
23	21		SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 502, Transportation Code,
24	22		is amended by adding Section 502.004 to read as follows:
25	23		Sec. 502.004. REGISTRATION OF AUTOCYCLE. (a) In this
26	24		section, "autocycle" means a motor vehicle, other than a tractor,
27	25		that is:
28	26		(1) designed to have when propelled not more than
29	27		three wheels on the ground;
30	28		(2) equipped with a steering wheel;
31	29		(3) equipped with seating that does not require the
32	30		operator to straddle or sit astride the seat; and
33	31		(4) manufactured and certified to comply with federal
34	32		safety requirements for a motorcycle.
35	33		(b) For purposes of registering a vehicle under this
36	34		chapter, an autocycle is considered to be a motorcycle.
37	35		SECTION 3. Section 521.084, Transportation Code, is amended
38	36		to read as follows:
39	37		Sec. 521.084. CLASS M LICENSE. A Class M driver's license
40	38		authorizes the holder of the license to operate a motorcycle or
41	39		moped as defined by Section 541.201.
42	40		SECTION 4. Section 521.085(b), Transportation Code, is
43	41		amended to read as follows:
44	42		(b) Subsection (a) does not prohibit a license holder from
45	43		operating a lesser type of vehicle that is a motorcycle described by
46	44		Section 521.001(a)(6-a) or an autocycle as defined by Section
47	45		501.008.
48	46		SECTION 5. Section 545.416, Transportation Code, is amended
49	47		by adding Subsection (f) to read as follows:
50	48		(f) For purposes of Subsections (c) and (d), an autocycle as
51	49		defined by Section 501.008 is considered to be a motorcycle.
52	50		SECTION 6. Section 547.617, Transportation Code, is amended
53	51		to read as follows:
54	52		Sec. 547.617. MOTORCYCLE FOOTRESTS AND HANDHOLDS REQUIRED.
55	53		(a) A motorcycle that is designed to carry more than one person
56	54		must be equipped with footrests and handholds for use by the
57	55		passenger.
58	56		(b) This section does not apply to an autocycle as defined
59	57		by Section 501.008 or a motorcycle as defined by Section
60	58		521.001(a)(6-a).
61	59		SECTION 7. Chapter 661, Transportation Code, is amended by
62	60		adding Section 661.0015 to read as follows:
63	61		Sec. 661.0015. PROTECTIVE HEADGEAR FOR AUTOCYCLE. (a) In
64	62		this section, "autocycle" means a motor vehicle, other than a
65	63		tractor, that is:
66	64		(1) designed to have when propelled not more than
67	65		three wheels on the ground;
68	66		(2) equipped with a steering wheel;
69	67		(3) equipped with seating that does not require the
70	68		operator to straddle or sit astride the seat; and
71	69		(4) manufactured and certified to comply with federal
72	70		safety requirements for a motorcycle.
73	71		(b) For purposes of this chapter, an autocycle is considered
74	72		to be a motorcycle.
75	73		SECTION 8. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
76	74		a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
77	75		provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
78	76		Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
79	77		Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
	78	+	______________________________ ______________________________
	79	+	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
	80	+	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 449 passed the Senate on April
	81	+	9, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
	82	+	______________________________
	83	+	Secretary of the Senate
	84	+	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 449 passed the House on May 8,
	85	+	2015, by the following vote: Yeas 142, Nays 0, two present not
	86	+	voting.
	87	+	______________________________
	88	+	Chief Clerk of the House
	89	+	Approved:
	90	+	______________________________
	91	+	Date
	92	+	______________________________
	93	+	Governor