| 1 | | - | By: Goldman, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Hinojosa) H.B. No. 1249 |
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| 2 | | - | (In the Senate - Received from the House May 8, 2017; |
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| 3 | | - | May 8, 2017, read first time and referred to Committee on |
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| 4 | | - | Transportation; May 15, 2017, reported favorably by the following |
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| 5 | | - | vote: Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 15, 2017, sent to printer.) |
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| 6 | | - | Click here to see the committee vote |
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| 1 | + | H.B. No. 1249 |
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| 10 | 4 | | AN ACT |
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| 11 | 5 | | relating to a prohibition of certain motor vehicles resembling |
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| 12 | 6 | | emergency medical services vehicles; creating a criminal offense. |
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| 13 | 7 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 14 | 8 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 773, Health and Safety |
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| 15 | 9 | | Code, is amended by adding Section 773.017 to read as follows: |
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| 16 | 10 | | Sec. 773.017. USE OF CERTAIN EXTERNAL MOTOR VEHICLE |
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| 17 | 11 | | MARKINGS OR FEATURES PROHIBITED; CRIMINAL OFFENSE. (a) A person |
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| 18 | 12 | | may not operate a motor vehicle in this state that resembles an |
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| 19 | 13 | | emergency medical services vehicle unless the person uses the motor |
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| 20 | 14 | | vehicle: |
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| 21 | 15 | | (1) as an emergency medical services vehicle under |
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| 22 | 16 | | this chapter; or |
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| 23 | 17 | | (2) for other legitimate governmental functions, |
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| 24 | 18 | | including police or firefighting services. |
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| 25 | 19 | | (b) A motor vehicle resembles an emergency medical services |
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| 26 | 20 | | vehicle if the motor vehicle has on the exterior of the motor |
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| 27 | 21 | | vehicle any of the following markings or features: |
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| 28 | 22 | | (1) the word "ambulance" or a derivation of that word; |
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| 29 | 23 | | (2) a star of life as trademarked by the National |
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| 30 | 24 | | Highway Traffic Safety Administration; |
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| 31 | 25 | | (3) a Maltese cross commonly used by fire departments; |
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| 32 | 26 | | (4) forward-facing flashing red, white, or blue |
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| 33 | 27 | | lights; |
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| 34 | 28 | | (5) a siren; |
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| 35 | 29 | | (6) the words "critical care transport," "emergency," |
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| 36 | 30 | | "emergency medical services," or "mobile intensive care unit"; or |
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| 37 | 31 | | (7) the acronym "EMS" or "MICU". |
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| 38 | 32 | | (c) A person commits an offense if the person violates this |
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| 39 | 33 | | section. An offense under this subsection is a Class C misdemeanor. |
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| 40 | 34 | | (d) This section does not apply to a motor vehicle bearing a |
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| 41 | 35 | | license plate issued or approved under Section 504.501 or 504.502, |
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| 42 | 36 | | Transportation Code. |
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| 43 | 37 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
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| 44 | | - | * * * * * |
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| 38 | + | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 39 | + | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 40 | + | I certify that H.B. No. 1249 was passed by the House on May 6, |
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| 41 | + | 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 139, Nays 5, 2 present, not |
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| 42 | + | voting. |
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| 43 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 44 | + | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 45 | + | I certify that H.B. No. 1249 was passed by the Senate on May |
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| 46 | + | 19, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays 2. |
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| 47 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 48 | + | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 49 | + | APPROVED: _____________________ |
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| 50 | + | Date |
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| 51 | + | _____________________ |
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| 52 | + | Governor |
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