| 1 | 1 | | 85R12857 AAF-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: González of El Paso H.B. No. 3500 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to vehicles used in the maintenance of electrical power |
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| 8 | 8 | | lines; creating a criminal offense. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Section 545.157(a), Transportation Code, is |
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| 11 | 11 | | amended to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | (a) This section applies only to the following vehicles: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (1) a stationary authorized emergency vehicle using |
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| 14 | 14 | | visual signals that meet the requirements of Sections 547.305 and |
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| 15 | 15 | | 547.702; |
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| 16 | 16 | | (2) a stationary tow truck using equipment authorized |
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| 17 | 17 | | by Section 547.305(d); [and] |
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| 18 | 18 | | (3) a Texas Department of Transportation vehicle not |
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| 19 | 19 | | separated from the roadway by a traffic control channelizing device |
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| 20 | 20 | | and using visual signals that comply with the standards and |
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| 21 | 21 | | specifications adopted under Section 547.105; and |
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| 22 | 22 | | (4) a vehicle used in the maintenance of an electrical |
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| 23 | 23 | | power line and using visual signals that comply with the standards |
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| 24 | 24 | | and specifications adopted under Section 547.105. |
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| 25 | 25 | | SECTION 2. Sections 547.105(a) and (b), Transportation |
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| 26 | 26 | | Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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| 27 | 27 | | (a) The Texas Department of Transportation shall adopt |
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| 28 | 28 | | standards and specifications that: |
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| 29 | 29 | | (1) apply to lamps on highway maintenance and service |
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| 30 | 30 | | equipment, including snow-removal equipment, and to vehicles used |
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| 31 | 31 | | in the maintenance of electrical power lines; and |
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| 32 | 32 | | (2) correlate with and conform as closely as possible |
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| 33 | 33 | | to standards and specifications approved by the American |
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| 34 | 34 | | Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. |
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| 35 | 35 | | (b) The Texas Department of Transportation may adopt |
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| 36 | 36 | | standards and specifications for lighting that permit the use of |
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| 37 | 37 | | flashing lights for identification purposes on highway maintenance |
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| 38 | 38 | | and service equipment, including snow-removal equipment, and for |
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| 39 | 39 | | vehicles used in the maintenance of electrical power lines. |
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| 40 | 40 | | SECTION 3. The Texas Department of Transportation shall |
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| 41 | 41 | | adopt standards and specifications relating to lamps and lighting |
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| 42 | 42 | | on vehicles used in the maintenance of electrical power lines, as |
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| 43 | 43 | | required by Section 547.105, Transportation Code, as amended by |
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| 44 | 44 | | this Act, not later than October 1, 2017. |
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| 45 | 45 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
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