| 1 | 1 | | 87R12103 BEE-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Springer S.B. No. 1736 |
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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 the titling, registration, and operation of an |
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| 8 | 8 | | autocycle. |
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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 501.008, Transportation Code, is amended |
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| 11 | 11 | | to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 501.008. TITLE FOR AUTOCYCLE. (a) In this section, |
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| 13 | 13 | | "autocycle" means a motor vehicle, other than a tractor, that is: |
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| 14 | 14 | | (1) designed to operate with [have when propelled not |
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| 15 | 15 | | more than] three wheels in contact with [on] the ground; |
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| 16 | 16 | | (2) equipped with a steering wheel; and |
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| 17 | 17 | | (3) equipped with seating that does not require the |
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| 18 | 18 | | operator to straddle or sit astride the seat[; and |
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| 19 | 19 | | [(4) manufactured and certified to comply with federal |
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| 20 | 20 | | safety requirements for a motorcycle]. |
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| 21 | 21 | | (b) For purposes of issuing a title under this chapter, an |
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| 22 | 22 | | autocycle is considered to be a passenger car, as defined by Section |
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| 23 | 23 | | 541.201 [motorcycle]. |
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| 24 | 24 | | SECTION 2. Section 502.005, Transportation Code, is amended |
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| 25 | 25 | | to read as follows: |
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| 26 | 26 | | Sec. 502.005. REGISTRATION OF AUTOCYCLE. (a) In this |
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| 27 | 27 | | section, "autocycle" has the meaning assigned by Section 501.008 |
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| 28 | 28 | | [means a motor vehicle, other than a tractor, that is: |
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| 29 | 29 | | [(1) designed to have when propelled not more than |
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| 30 | 30 | | three wheels on the ground; |
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| 31 | 31 | | [(2) equipped with a steering wheel; |
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| 32 | 32 | | [(3) equipped with seating that does not require the |
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| 33 | 33 | | operator to straddle or sit astride the seat; and |
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| 34 | 34 | | [(4) manufactured and certified to comply with federal |
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| 35 | 35 | | safety requirements for a motorcycle]. |
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| 36 | 36 | | (b) For purposes of registering a vehicle under this |
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| 37 | 37 | | chapter, an autocycle is considered to be a passenger car |
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| 38 | 38 | | [motorcycle]. |
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| 39 | 39 | | SECTION 3. Section 521.083, Transportation Code, is amended |
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| 40 | 40 | | to read as follows: |
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| 41 | 41 | | Sec. 521.083. CLASS C LICENSE. (a) A Class C driver's |
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| 42 | 42 | | license authorizes the holder of the license to operate: |
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| 43 | 43 | | (1) a vehicle or combination of vehicles not described |
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| 44 | 44 | | by Section 521.081 or 521.082; and |
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| 45 | 45 | | (2) a vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of |
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| 46 | 46 | | less than 26,001 pounds towing a farm trailer with a gross vehicle |
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| 47 | 47 | | weight rating that is not more than 20,000 pounds. |
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| 48 | 48 | | (b) A holder of a Class C driver's license is authorized to |
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| 49 | 49 | | operate an autocycle, as defined by Section 501.008, without |
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| 50 | 50 | | meeting the requirements of a Class M license. |
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| 51 | 51 | | SECTION 4. Section 521.085(b), Transportation Code, is |
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| 52 | 52 | | amended to read as follows: |
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| 53 | 53 | | (b) Subsection (a) does not prohibit a license holder from |
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| 54 | 54 | | operating a lesser type of vehicle that is: |
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| 55 | 55 | | (1) a motorcycle described by Section 521.001(a)(6-a) |
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| 56 | 56 | | [or an autocycle as defined by Section 501.008]; or |
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| 57 | 57 | | (2) a type of motorcycle defined by the department |
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| 58 | 58 | | under Section 521.001(c) and designated by the department as |
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| 59 | 59 | | qualifying for operation under this section. |
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| 60 | 60 | | SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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