Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB2359 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	86R13949 JXC-D
2	2	By: Fallon S.B. No. 2359
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the operation of off-highway vehicles on a public
8	8	street, road, or highway.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Section 502.001, Transportation Code, is amended
11	11	by adding Subdivision (44-a) to read as follows:
12	12	(44-a) "Utility vehicle" has the meaning assigned by
13	13	Section 663.001.
14	14	SECTION 2. Section 502.140, Transportation Code, is amended
15	15	to read as follows:
16	16	Sec. 502.140. CERTAIN OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLES. (a) Except as
17	17	otherwise provided by Subsection (b), a person may not register an
18	18	all-terrain vehicle, [or] a recreational off-highway vehicle, or a
19	19	utility vehicle, with or without design alterations, for operation
20	20	on a public highway.
21	21	(b) The state, a county, or a municipality may register an
22	22	all-terrain vehicle, [or] a recreational off-highway vehicle, or a
23	23	utility vehicle that is owned by the state, county, or municipality
24	24	for operation on a public beach or highway to maintain public safety
25	25	and welfare.
26	26	(c) [(d)] Section 504.401 does not apply to an all-terrain
27	27	vehicle, [or] a recreational off-highway vehicle, or a utility
28	28	vehicle.
29	29	[(e) An all-terrain vehicle or recreational off-highway
30	30	vehicle that is owned by the state, a county, or a municipality and
31	31	operated in compliance with Section 663.037 does not require
32	32	registration under Subsection (b).]
33	33	SECTION 3. The heading to Section 663.037, Transportation
34	34	Code, is amended to read as follows:
35	35	Sec. 663.037. OPERATION ON PUBLIC ROADWAY [PROHIBITED].
36	36	SECTION 4. Sections 663.037(a) and (f), Transportation
37	37	Code, are amended to read as follows:
38	38	(a) A person may [not] operate an off-highway vehicle on a
39	39	public street, road, or highway only [except] as provided by this
40	40	section and Section 663.0372.
41	41	(f) This [Except as provided by Subsection (g), this]
42	42	section does not apply to the operation of an off-highway vehicle
43	43	that is registered under Section 502.140(b) [owned by the state, a
44	44	county, or a municipality by a person who is an authorized operator
45	45	of the vehicle].
46	46	SECTION 5. Subchapter C, Chapter 663, Transportation Code,
47	47	is amended by adding Section 663.0372 to read as follows:
48	48	Sec. 663.0372. OPERATION ON PUBLIC ROADWAY IN CERTAIN
49	49	COUNTIES. (a) In addition to operation authorized by Sections
50	50	663.037 and 502.140(b), an off-highway vehicle may be operated on a
51	51	public street, road, or highway in a county with a population of
52	52	less than 150,000 in a manner authorized in that location for the
53	53	operation of a neighborhood electric vehicle.
54	54	(b) If the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles adopts rules
55	55	relating to the registration of and issuance of license plates for
56	56	neighborhood electric vehicles under Section 551.302, the
57	57	department must adopt corresponding rules for off-highway vehicles
58	58	operating under this section.
59	59	SECTION 6. The change in law made by this Act applies only
60	60	to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act.
61	61	An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is
62	62	governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed,
63	63	and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For
64	64	purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the
65	65	effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred
66	66	before that date.
67	67	SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.