Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Texas House Bill HB61 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	H.B. No. 61
	1	+	By: White (Senate Sponsor - Nichols) H.B. No. 61
	2	+	(In the Senate - Received from the House April 1, 2019;
	3	+	April 2, 2019, read first time and referred to Committee on
	4	+	Transportation; April 11, 2019, reported adversely, with favorable
	5	+	Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0;
	6	+	April 11, 2019, sent to printer.)
	7	+	Click here to see the committee vote
	8	+	COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 61 By: Nichols
2	9
3	10
	11	+	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
4	12		AN ACT
5	13		relating to highway maintenance or construction vehicles, certain
6	14		service vehicles, and escort flag vehicles, including the use of
7	15		certain lighting equipment on those vehicles.
8	16		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	17		SECTION 1. Section 545.157(a), Transportation Code, is
10	18		amended to read as follows:
11	19		(a) This section applies only to the following vehicles:
12	20		(1) a stationary authorized emergency vehicle using
13	21		visual signals that meet the requirements of Sections 547.305 and
14	22		547.702;
15	23		(2) a stationary tow truck using equipment authorized
16	24		by Section 547.305(d); [and]
17	25		(3) a Texas Department of Transportation vehicle or a
18	26		highway maintenance or construction vehicle operated pursuant to a
19	27		contract awarded under Subchapter A, Chapter 223, not separated
20	28		from the roadway by a traffic control channelizing device and using
21	29		visual signals that comply with the standards and specifications
22	30		adopted under Section 547.105;
23	31		(4) a service vehicle used by or for a utility, as
24	32		defined by Section 203.091, and using visual signals that comply
25	33		with the standards and specifications adopted under Section
26	34		547.105; and
27	35		(5) a stationary vehicle used exclusively to transport
28	36		municipal solid waste, as defined by Section 361.003, Health and
29	37		Safety Code, or recyclable material, as defined by Section 361.421,
30	38		Health and Safety Code, while being operated in connection with the
31	39		removal or transportation of municipal solid waste or recyclable
32	40		material from a location adjacent to the highway.
33	41		SECTION 2. Section 547.001(2-b), Transportation Code, is
34	42		amended to read as follows:
35	43		(2-b) "Highway maintenance or construction vehicle"
36	44		means a highway or traffic maintenance or construction vehicle
37	45		designated by the Texas Department of Transportation. The term
38	46		includes equipment for:
39	47		(A) road maintenance or construction, including:
40	48		(i) equipment for snow removal, line
41	49		striping, skid resistance testing, sweeping, [and] spraying,
42	50		guardrail repair, sign maintenance, and temporary traffic-control
43	51		device placement or removal;
44	52		(ii) aerial platform lift machines; and
45	53		(iii) road profiler machines; and
46	54		(B) road construction or off-road use, including
47	55		motor graders, road rollers, excavators, pneumatic tire equipment,
48	56		movers, and tractors.
49	57		SECTION 3. The heading to Section 547.105, Transportation
50	58		Code, is amended to read as follows:
51	59		Sec. 547.105. [MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE VEHICLE] LIGHTING
52	60		STANDARDS FOR CERTAIN VEHICLES.
53	61		SECTION 4. Sections 547.105(a) and (b), Transportation
54	62		Code, are amended to read as follows:
55	63		(a) The Texas Department of Transportation shall adopt
56	64		standards and specifications that:
57	65		(1) apply to lamps on highway maintenance or
58	66		construction vehicles and service vehicles; and
59	67		(2) correlate with and conform as closely as possible
60	68		to standards and specifications approved by the American
61	69		Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
62	70		(b) The Texas Department of Transportation may adopt
63	71		standards and specifications for lighting that permit the use of
64	72		flashing lights for identification purposes on highway maintenance
65	73		or construction vehicles and service vehicles.
66	74		SECTION 5. Section 547.305, Transportation Code, is amended
67	75		by amending Subsections (e) and (f) and adding Subsections (e-3)
68	76		and (e-4) to read as follows:
69	77		(e) A person may not operate a highway maintenance or
70	78		construction vehicle or service vehicle that is not equipped with
71	79		lamps or that does not display lighted lamps as required by the
72	80		standards and specifications adopted by the Texas Department of
73	81		Transportation.
74	82		(e-3) An escort flag vehicle may be equipped with
75	83		alternating or flashing blue and amber lights.
76	84		(e-4) A vehicle described by Section 545.157(a) may be
77	85		equipped with flashing blue lights.
78	86		(f) In this section:
79	87		(1) "Escort flag vehicle" means a vehicle that
80	88		precedes or follows an oversize or overweight vehicle described by
81	89		Subtitle E for the purpose of facilitating the safe movement of the
82	90		oversize or overweight vehicle over roads.
83	91		(2) "Security patrol vehicle" means a motor vehicle
84	92		being used for the purpose of providing security services by:
85	93		(A) a guard company described by Section
86	94		1702.108, Occupations Code; or
87	95		(B) a security officer as defined by Section
88	96		1702.002, Occupations Code.
89	97		(3) [(2)] "Tow truck" means a motor vehicle or
90	98		mechanical device that is adapted or used to tow, winch, or move a
91	99		disabled vehicle.
92	100		SECTION 6. As soon as practicable after the effective date
93	101		of this Act, the Texas Department of Transportation shall adopt
94	102		standards and specifications relating to lamps and lighting on
95	103		highway construction vehicles, as required by Section 547.105,
96	104		Transportation Code, as amended by this Act.
97	105		SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
98		-	______________________________ ______________________________
99		-	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
100		-	I certify that H.B. No. 61 was passed by the House on March
101		-	27, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 143, Nays 4, 1 present, not
102		-	voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
103		-	No. 61 on April 29, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 139, Nays 0,
104		-	2 present, not voting.
105		-	______________________________
106		-	Chief Clerk of the House
107		-	I certify that H.B. No. 61 was passed by the Senate, with
108		-	amendments, on April 17, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 31,
109		-	Nays 0.
110		-	______________________________
111		-	Secretary of the Senate
112		-	APPROVED: __________________
113		-	Date
114		-	__________________
115		-	Governor
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