Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB3837 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R13725 JRR-D
2	2	By: Canales H.B. No. 3837
3	3
4	4
5	5
6	6
7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to the regulation of autonomous vehicles; creating a
10	10	criminal offense.
11	11	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
12	12	SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 502, Transportation Code,
13	13	is amended by adding Section 502.0433 to read as follows:
14	14	Sec. 502.0433. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO
15	15	AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE. (a) In this section, "autonomous vehicle" has
16	16	the meaning assigned by Section 545.451.
17	17	(b) When a person registers or renews the registration of a
18	18	motor vehicle under this chapter, the department shall require the
19	19	person to:
20	20	(1) indicate whether the vehicle is an autonomous
21	21	vehicle; and
22	22	(2) if the person indicates that the vehicle is an
23	23	autonomous vehicle, include the permit number for any permit issued
24	24	to the person under Subchapter J, Chapter 545.
25	25	(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter,
26	26	the department may not register or renew the registration of a motor
27	27	vehicle that a person indicates is an autonomous vehicle if the
28	28	person does not hold, or the department is unable to verify that the
29	29	person holds, a permit issued under Subchapter J, Chapter 545. This
30	30	subsection does not apply to an autonomous vehicle that is exempted
31	31	from the permit requirements of Subchapter J, Chapter 545, under a
32	32	rule adopted under Section 545.457.
33	33	SECTION 2. Subchapter J, Chapter 545, Transportation Code,
34	34	is amended to read as follows:
35	35	SUBCHAPTER J. OPERATION OF AUTONOMOUS [AUTOMATED MOTOR] VEHICLES
36	36	Sec. 545.451. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
37	37	(1) "Automated driving system" means hardware and
38	38	software that, when installed on a motor vehicle and engaged, are
39	39	collectively capable of performing, without any intervention or
40	40	supervision by a human operator:
41	41	(A) all aspects of the entire dynamic driving
42	42	task for the vehicle on a sustained basis; and
43	43	(B) any fallback maneuvers necessary to respond
44	44	to a failure of the system.
45	45	(2) "Autonomous [Automated motor] vehicle" means a
46	46	motor vehicle on which an automated driving system is installed
47	47	that is capable of being operated with Level 4 automation or Level 5
48	48	automation.
49	49	(3) "Commission" means the Autonomous Vehicle
50	50	Commission.
51	51	(4) "Entire dynamic driving task" means the
52	52	operational and tactical aspects of operating a vehicle. The term:
53	53	(A) includes:
54	54	(i) operational aspects, including
55	55	steering, braking, accelerating, and monitoring the vehicle and the
56	56	roadway; and
57	57	(ii) tactical aspects, including
58	58	responding to events, determining when to change lanes, turning,
59	59	using signals, and other related actions; and
60	60	(B) does not include strategic aspects,
61	61	including determining destinations or waypoints.
62	62	(5) [(4)] "Human operator" means a natural person in
63	63	an autonomous [automated motor] vehicle who controls the entire
64	64	dynamic driving task.
65	65	(6) "Level 4 automation" means a standard of
66	66	automation meeting the criteria for Level 4 specified in the
67	67	Society of Automotive Engineers International Standard J3016
68	68	(April 2021).
69	69	(7) "Level 5 automation" means a standard of
70	70	automation meeting the criteria for Level 5 specified in the
71	71	Society of Automotive Engineers International Standard J3016
72	72	(April 2021).
73	73	(8) [(5)] "Owner" has the meaning assigned by Section
74	74	502.001.
75	75	(9) "Transportation network company" has the meaning
76	76	assigned by Section 2402.001, Occupations Code.
77	77	Sec. 545.452. EXCLUSIVE REGULATION OF [THE] OPERATION OF
78	78	AUTONOMOUS [AUTOMATED MOTOR] VEHICLES AND AUTOMATED DRIVING
79	79	SYSTEMS. (a) Unless otherwise provided by this subchapter, the
80	80	operation of autonomous [automated motor] vehicles, including any
81	81	commercial use, and automated driving systems is [are] governed
82	82	exclusively by:
83	83	(1) this subchapter; [and]
84	84	(2) Section 547.618; and
85	85	(3) Chapter 2402, Occupations Code, if the autonomous
86	86	vehicle is owned by a transportation network company or
87	87	transportation network company driver.
88	88	(b) A political subdivision of this state or a state agency
89	89	may not impose a franchise or other regulation related to the
90	90	operation of an autonomous [automated motor] vehicle or automated
91	91	driving system.
92	92	Sec. 545.453. OPERATOR OF AUTONOMOUS [AUTOMATED MOTOR]
93	93	VEHICLE. (a) When an automated driving system installed on an
94	94	autonomous [a motor] vehicle is engaged:
95	95	(1) the owner of the autonomous vehicle [automated
96	96	driving system] is considered the operator of the autonomous
97	97	[automated motor] vehicle solely for the purpose of assessing
98	98	compliance with applicable traffic or motor vehicle laws,
99	99	regardless of whether the person is physically present in the
100	100	vehicle while the vehicle is operating; and
101	101	(2) the automated driving system is considered to be
102	102	licensed to operate the vehicle.
103	103	(b) Notwithstanding any other law, a licensed human
104	104	operator is not required to operate a motor vehicle if an automated
105	105	driving system installed on the vehicle is engaged.
106	106	Sec. 545.454. AUTONOMOUS [AUTOMATED MOTOR] VEHICLE
107	107	OPERATION; OFFENSE. (a) Subject to Subsection (b), an autonomous
108	108	[An automated motor] vehicle may operate in this state [with the
109	109	automated driving system engaged], regardless of whether a human
110	110	operator is physically present in the vehicle.
111	111	(b) An autonomous [automated motor] vehicle may not operate
112	112	on a highway in this state [with the automated driving system
113	113	engaged] unless:
114	114	(1) the owner of the vehicle:
115	115	(A) holds a permit issued under this subchapter;
116	116	and
117	117	(B) has submitted to the department, in the form
118	118	and manner prescribed by rule of the Public Safety Commission, a
119	119	plan specifying how a person who provides firefighting, law
120	120	enforcement, ambulance, medical, or other emergency services
121	121	should interact with the autonomous vehicle during the provision of
122	122	those services; and
123	123	(2) the vehicle is:
124	124	(A) registered with the commission as provided by
125	125	Section 545.456;
126	126	(B) [(1)] capable of operating in compliance
127	127	with applicable traffic and motor vehicle laws of this state,
128	128	subject to this subchapter;
129	129	(C) [(2)] equipped with a recording device, as
130	130	defined by Section 547.615(a), installed by the manufacturer of the
131	131	autonomous [automated motor] vehicle or automated driving system;
132	132	(D) [(3)] equipped with an automated driving
133	133	system in compliance with applicable federal law and federal motor
134	134	vehicle safety standards;
135	135	(E) [(4)] registered and titled in accordance
136	136	with the laws of this state; and
137	137	(F) either:
138	138	(i) [(5)] covered by motor vehicle
139	139	liability coverage or self-insurance in an amount prescribed by
140	140	commission rule; or
141	141	(ii) if the autonomous vehicle is owned by a
142	142	transportation network company or transportation network company
143	143	driver, covered by primary automobile insurance in accordance with
144	144	Chapter 1954, Insurance Code [equal to the amount of coverage that
145	145	is required under the laws of this state].
146	146	(c) A person who is the owner of an autonomous vehicle
147	147	commits an offense if the autonomous vehicle is operated on a public
148	148	highway in violation of Subsection (b). An offense under this
149	149	subsection is a Class A misdemeanor.
150	150	Sec. 545.455. AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE PERMIT. (a) An applicant
151	151	for a permit under this subchapter shall apply to the commission in
152	152	the form and manner prescribed by commission rule.
153	153	(b) The commission shall issue a permit to each applicant
154	154	that:
155	155	(1) meets the eligibility criteria for the permit as
156	156	prescribed by commission rule; and
157	157	(2) pays a fee in an amount determined by commission
158	158	rule to cover the cost of administering this subchapter.
159	159	(c) Commission rules prescribing the eligibility criteria
160	160	described by Subsection (b)(1) must require an applicant for a
161	161	permit under this subchapter to include in the application:
162	162	(1) whether the applicant holds, or intends to apply
163	163	for, a permit issued under Chapter 2402, Occupations Code; and
164	164	(2) if the applicant holds a permit issued under
165	165	Chapter 2402, Occupations Code, the permit number for that permit.
166	166	(d) To maintain a permit under this subchapter, the holder
167	167	of the permit shall annually pay the fee described by Subsection
168	168	(b)(2) to the commission.
169	169	Sec. 545.456. REGISTRATION OF AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE WITH
170	170	COMMISSION. A holder of a permit under this subchapter shall
171	171	register with the commission, in the form and manner prescribed by
172	172	commission rule, each autonomous vehicle authorized to operate
173	173	under the permit.
174	174	Sec. 545.457. EXEMPTION FROM PERMIT REQUIREMENTS. (a)
175	175	Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, the
176	176	commission by rule may exempt the permit requirements under this
177	177	subchapter from applying to an autonomous vehicle that is operated
178	178	solely for personal use if rules are adopted authorizing the sale of
179	179	autonomous vehicles in this state to the public by a dealer, as
180	180	defined by Section 2301.002, Occupations Code.
181	181	(b) A person operating an autonomous vehicle in accordance
182	182	with a rule adopted under this section is considered to satisfy the
183	183	requirements of Sections 545.454(b)(1) and (2)(A) with respect to
184	184	that vehicle.
185	185	Sec. 545.458 [545.455]. DUTIES FOLLOWING COLLISION
186	186	INVOLVING AUTONOMOUS [AUTOMATED MOTOR] VEHICLE; REPORTING OF
187	187	COLLISION DATA. (a) In the event of a collision involving an
188	188	autonomous [automated motor] vehicle:
189	189	(1) the holder of the permit under which the
190	190	autonomous vehicle is operating[, the automated motor vehicle] or
191	191	any human operator of the autonomous [automated motor] vehicle
192	192	shall comply with Chapter 550; and
193	193	(2) the permit holder described by Subdivision (1)
194	194	shall notify the commission of the collision, in the form and manner
195	195	prescribed by commission rule, not later than 48 hours after the
196	196	collision.
197	197	(b) A holder of a permit under this subchapter shall submit
198	198	to the commission, in the form and manner prescribed by commission
199	199	rule, any collision data that the permit holder is required to
200	200	submit to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or
201	201	another federal agency.
202	202	Sec. 545.459. ONLINE PORTAL. The commission shall
203	203	establish and maintain an online portal on the Texas Department of
204	204	Motor Vehicles' Internet website that, at a minimum, allows a
205	205	person to:
206	206	(1) apply for a permit under this subchapter;
207	207	(2) pay the annual fee to maintain the permit;
208	208	(3) register with the commission an autonomous vehicle
209	209	authorized to operate under the permit; and
210	210	(4) notify the commission of a collision involving an
211	211	autonomous vehicle or report collision data required under this
212	212	subchapter.
213	213	Sec. 545.460. ADDITIONAL PROCEDURES; RULES. (a) The
214	214	commission by rule shall adopt procedures for the revocation or
215	215	suspension of a permit issued under this subchapter.
216	216	(b) The commission shall hold a public hearing if an
217	217	autonomous vehicle operating under a permit issued under this
218	218	subchapter is involved in a collision that results in a fatality.
219	219	(c) The commission may adopt any other rules or procedures
220	220	necessary to administer this subchapter.
221	221	Sec. 545.461 [545.456]. VEHICLE CLASSIFICATION. An owner
222	222	[as defined by Section 502.001(31)] may identify the vehicle to the
223	223	department as an autonomous [automated motor] vehicle or an
224	224	automated driving system.
225	225	SECTION 3. The heading to Section 547.618, Transportation
226	226	Code, is amended to read as follows:
227	227	Sec. 547.618. EQUIPMENT REQUIRED FOR CERTAIN AUTONOMOUS
228	228	[AUTOMATED MOTOR] VEHICLES.
229	229	SECTION 4. Sections 547.618(a) and (b), Transportation
230	230	Code, are amended to read as follows:
231	231	(a) In this section, "autonomous [automated motor] vehicle"
232	232	and "automated driving system" have the meanings assigned by
233	233	Section 545.451.
234	234	(b) An autonomous [automated motor] vehicle that is
235	235	designed to be operated exclusively by the automated driving system
236	236	for all trips is not subject to motor vehicle equipment laws or
237	237	regulations of this state that:
238	238	(1) relate to or support motor vehicle operation by a
239	239	human driver; and
240	240	(2) are not relevant for an automated driving system.
241	241	SECTION 5. Subtitle M, Title 7, Transportation Code, is
242	242	amended by adding Chapter 1007 to read as follows:
243	243	CHAPTER 1007. AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE COMMISSION
244	244	Sec. 1007.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "commission"
245	245	means the Autonomous Vehicle Commission established under this
246	246	chapter.
247	247	Sec. 1007.002. ESTABLISHMENT; MEMBERSHIP. (a) The
248	248	Autonomous Vehicle Commission is established.
249	249	(b) The commission is composed of 11 voting members and 2
250	250	nonvoting members as follows:
251	251	(1) the presiding officer of the Connected and
252	252	Autonomous Vehicle Task Force of the Texas Department of
253	253	Transportation or a successor task force;
254	254	(2) the public safety director of the Department of
255	255	Public Safety or the director's designee;
256	256	(3) the following members appointed by the governor:
257	257	(A) two members who represent an entity that
258	258	manufactures or operates autonomous vehicles with a gross weight
259	259	rating of less than 10,000 pounds;
260	260	(B) two members who represent an entity that
261	261	manufactures or operates autonomous vehicles with a gross weight
262	262	rating of 10,000 pounds or more;
263	263	(C) one representative of the Texas A&M
264	264	Transportation Institute;
265	265	(D) one representative of the Center for
266	266	Transportation Research at The University of Texas at Austin; and
267	267	(E) one member of the public;
268	268	(4) one member of the public appointed by governor
269	269	from a list submitted by the lieutenant governor;
270	270	(5) one member of the public appointed by the governor
271	271	from a list submitted by the speaker of the house of
272	272	representatives;
273	273	(6) the presiding officer of the standing committee of
274	274	the senate with primary jurisdiction over business and commerce
275	275	matters, to serve ex officio as a nonvoting member; and
276	276	(7) the presiding officer of the standing committee of
277	277	the house of representatives with primary jurisdiction over
278	278	transportation matters, to serve ex officio as a nonvoting member.
279	279	(c) Appointed commission members serve for two-year terms.
280	280	(d) A vacancy on the commission shall be filled in the same
281	281	manner as the original appointment.
282	282	(e) The commission member described by Subsection (b)(2)
283	283	shall serve as the presiding officer.
284	284	Sec. 1007.003. ADMINISTRATIVE ATTACHMENT; FUNDING. (a)
285	285	The commission is administratively attached to the department.
286	286	(b) The commission shall be funded using existing funds of
287	287	the department.
288	288	(c) Employees of the department shall serve as the staff for
289	289	the commission, including by administering and enforcing the
290	290	provisions of Subchapter J, Chapter 545, relating to the
291	291	commission's duties under that subchapter.
292	292	(d) The department shall provide the facilities necessary
293	293	to assist the commission in carrying out the commission's duties.
294	294	Sec. 1007.004. DUTIES. The commission shall oversee the
295	295	administration and enforcement of the provisions of Subchapter J,
296	296	Chapter 545, relating to commission duties under that subchapter
297	297	and is responsible for the adoption of rules relating to those
298	298	provisions as provided by that subchapter.
299	299	Sec. 1007.005. APPLICATION OF SUNSET ACT. The commission
300	300	is subject to Chapter 325, Government Code (Texas Sunset Act). The
301	301	commission shall be reviewed during the period in which the
302	302	department is reviewed under Section 1001.005. Unless continued in
303	303	existence as provided by Chapter 325, Government Code, the
304	304	commission is abolished and this subchapter expires on the date on
305	305	which the department is subject to abolishment under that section.
306	306	SECTION 6. Section 17.45, Business & Commerce Code, is
307	307	amended by adding Subdivision (18) to read as follows:
308	308	(18) "Level 4 automation" and "Level 5 automation"
309	309	have the meanings assigned by Section 545.451, Transportation Code.
310	310	SECTION 7. Section 17.46(b), Business & Commerce Code, is
311	311	amended to read as follows:
312	312	(b) Except as provided in Subsection (d) of this section,
313	313	the term "false, misleading, or deceptive acts or practices"
314	314	includes, but is not limited to, the following acts:
315	315	(1) passing off goods or services as those of another;
316	316	(2) causing confusion or misunderstanding as to the
317	317	source, sponsorship, approval, or certification of goods or
318	318	services;
319	319	(3) causing confusion or misunderstanding as to
320	320	affiliation, connection, or association with, or certification by,
321	321	another;
322	322	(4) using deceptive representations or designations
323	323	of geographic origin in connection with goods or services;
324	324	(5) representing that goods or services have
325	325	sponsorship, approval, characteristics, ingredients, uses,
326	326	benefits, or quantities which they do not have or that a person has
327	327	a sponsorship, approval, status, affiliation, or connection which
328	328	the person does not;
329	329	(6) representing that goods are original or new if
330	330	they are deteriorated, reconditioned, reclaimed, used, or
331	331	secondhand;
332	332	(7) representing that goods or services are of a
333	333	particular standard, quality, or grade, or that goods are of a
334	334	particular style or model, if they are of another;
335	335	(8) disparaging the goods, services, or business of
336	336	another by false or misleading representation of facts;
337	337	(9) advertising goods or services with intent not to
338	338	sell them as advertised;
339	339	(10) advertising goods or services with intent not to
340	340	supply a reasonable expectable public demand, unless the
341	341	advertisements disclosed a limitation of quantity;
342	342	(11) making false or misleading statements of fact
343	343	concerning the reasons for, existence of, or amount of price
344	344	reductions;
345	345	(12) representing that an agreement confers or
346	346	involves rights, remedies, or obligations which it does not have or
347	347	involve, or which are prohibited by law;
348	348	(13) knowingly making false or misleading statements
349	349	of fact concerning the need for parts, replacement, or repair
350	350	service;
351	351	(14) misrepresenting the authority of a salesman,
352	352	representative or agent to negotiate the final terms of a consumer
353	353	transaction;
354	354	(15) basing a charge for the repair of any item in
355	355	whole or in part on a guaranty or warranty instead of on the value of
356	356	the actual repairs made or work to be performed on the item without
357	357	stating separately the charges for the work and the charge for the
358	358	warranty or guaranty, if any;
359	359	(16) disconnecting, turning back, or resetting the
360	360	odometer of any motor vehicle so as to reduce the number of miles
361	361	indicated on the odometer gauge;
362	362	(17) advertising of any sale by fraudulently
363	363	representing that a person is going out of business;
364	364	(18) advertising, selling, or distributing a card
365	365	which purports to be a prescription drug identification card issued
366	366	under Section 4151.152, Insurance Code, in accordance with rules
367	367	adopted by the commissioner of insurance, which offers a discount
368	368	on the purchase of health care goods or services from a third party
369	369	provider, and which is not evidence of insurance coverage, unless:
370	370	(A) the discount is authorized under an agreement
371	371	between the seller of the card and the provider of those goods and
372	372	services or the discount or card is offered to members of the
373	373	seller;
374	374	(B) the seller does not represent that the card
375	375	provides insurance coverage of any kind; and
376	376	(C) the discount is not false, misleading, or
377	377	deceptive;
378	378	(19) using or employing a chain referral sales plan in
379	379	connection with the sale or offer to sell of goods, merchandise, or
380	380	anything of value, which uses the sales technique, plan,
381	381	arrangement, or agreement in which the buyer or prospective buyer
382	382	is offered the opportunity to purchase merchandise or goods and in
383	383	connection with the purchase receives the seller's promise or
384	384	representation that the buyer shall have the right to receive
385	385	compensation or consideration in any form for furnishing to the
386	386	seller the names of other prospective buyers if receipt of the
387	387	compensation or consideration is contingent upon the occurrence of
388	388	an event subsequent to the time the buyer purchases the merchandise
389	389	or goods;
390	390	(20) representing that a guaranty or warranty confers
391	391	or involves rights or remedies which it does not have or involve,
392	392	provided, however, that nothing in this subchapter shall be
393	393	construed to expand the implied warranty of merchantability as
394	394	defined in Sections 2.314 through 2.318 and Sections 2A.212 through
395	395	2A.216 to involve obligations in excess of those which are
396	396	appropriate to the goods;
397	397	(21) promoting a pyramid promotional scheme, as
398	398	defined by Section 17.461;
399	399	(22) representing that work or services have been
400	400	performed on, or parts replaced in, goods when the work or services
401	401	were not performed or the parts replaced;
402	402	(23) filing suit founded upon a written contractual
403	403	obligation of and signed by the defendant to pay money arising out
404	404	of or based on a consumer transaction for goods, services, loans, or
405	405	extensions of credit intended primarily for personal, family,
406	406	household, or agricultural use in any county other than in the
407	407	county in which the defendant resides at the time of the
408	408	commencement of the action or in the county in which the defendant
409	409	in fact signed the contract; provided, however, that a violation of
410	410	this subsection shall not occur where it is shown by the person
411	411	filing such suit that the person neither knew or had reason to know
412	412	that the county in which such suit was filed was neither the county
413	413	in which the defendant resides at the commencement of the suit nor
414	414	the county in which the defendant in fact signed the contract;
415	415	(24) failing to disclose information concerning goods
416	416	or services which was known at the time of the transaction if such
417	417	failure to disclose such information was intended to induce the
418	418	consumer into a transaction into which the consumer would not have
419	419	entered had the information been disclosed;
420	420	(25) using the term "corporation," "incorporated," or
421	421	an abbreviation of either of those terms in the name of a business
422	422	entity that is not incorporated under the laws of this state or
423	423	another jurisdiction;
424	424	(26) selling, offering to sell, or illegally promoting
425	425	an annuity contract under Chapter 22, Acts of the 57th Legislature,
426	426	3rd Called Session, 1962 (Article 6228a-5, Vernon's Texas Civil
427	427	Statutes), with the intent that the annuity contract will be the
428	428	subject of a salary reduction agreement, as defined by that Act, if
429	429	the annuity contract is not an eligible qualified investment under
430	430	that Act;
431	431	(27) subject to Section 17.4625, taking advantage of a
432	432	disaster declared by the governor under Chapter 418, Government
433	433	Code, or by the president of the United States by:
434	434	(A) selling or leasing fuel, food, medicine,
435	435	lodging, building materials, construction tools, or another
436	436	necessity at an exorbitant or excessive price; or
437	437	(B) demanding an exorbitant or excessive price in
438	438	connection with the sale or lease of fuel, food, medicine, lodging,
439	439	building materials, construction tools, or another necessity;
440	440	(28) using the translation into a foreign language of
441	441	a title or other word, including "attorney," "immigration
442	442	consultant," "immigration expert," "lawyer," "licensed," "notary,"
443	443	and "notary public," in any written or electronic material,
444	444	including an advertisement, a business card, a letterhead,
445	445	stationery, a website, or an online video, in reference to a person
446	446	who is not an attorney in order to imply that the person is
447	447	authorized to practice law in the United States;
448	448	(29) delivering or distributing a solicitation in
449	449	connection with a good or service that:
450	450	(A) represents that the solicitation is sent on
451	451	behalf of a governmental entity when it is not; or
452	452	(B) resembles a governmental notice or form that
453	453	represents or implies that a criminal penalty may be imposed if the
454	454	recipient does not remit payment for the good or service;
455	455	(30) delivering or distributing a solicitation in
456	456	connection with a good or service that resembles a check or other
457	457	negotiable instrument or invoice, unless the portion of the
458	458	solicitation that resembles a check or other negotiable instrument
459	459	or invoice includes the following notice, clearly and conspicuously
460	460	printed in at least 18-point type:
461	461	"SPECIMEN-NON-NEGOTIABLE";
462	462	(31) in the production, sale, distribution, or
463	463	promotion of a synthetic substance that produces and is intended to
464	464	produce an effect when consumed or ingested similar to, or in excess
465	465	of, the effect of a controlled substance or controlled substance
466	466	analogue, as those terms are defined by Section 481.002, Health and
467	467	Safety Code:
468	468	(A) making a deceptive representation or
469	469	designation about the synthetic substance; or
470	470	(B) causing confusion or misunderstanding as to
471	471	the effects the synthetic substance causes when consumed or
472	472	ingested;
473	473	(32) a licensed public insurance adjuster directly or
474	474	indirectly soliciting employment, as defined by Section 38.01,
475	475	Penal Code, for an attorney, or a licensed public insurance
476	476	adjuster entering into a contract with an insured for the primary
477	477	purpose of referring the insured to an attorney without the intent
478	478	to actually perform the services customarily provided by a licensed
479	479	public insurance adjuster, provided that this subdivision may not
480	480	be construed to prohibit a licensed public insurance adjuster from
481	481	recommending a particular attorney to an insured;
482	482	(33) owning, operating, maintaining, or advertising a
483	483	massage establishment, as defined by Section 455.001, Occupations
484	484	Code, that:
485	485	(A) is not appropriately licensed under Chapter
486	486	455, Occupations Code, or is not in compliance with the applicable
487	487	licensing and other requirements of that chapter; or
488	488	(B) is not in compliance with an applicable local
489	489	ordinance relating to the licensing or regulation of massage
490	490	establishments; [or]
491	491	(34) a warrantor of a vehicle protection product
492	492	warranty using, in connection with the product, a name that
493	493	includes "casualty," "surety," "insurance," "mutual," or any other
494	494	word descriptive of an insurance business, including property or
495	495	casualty insurance, or a surety business;
496	496	(35) advertising or otherwise representing a
497	497	technology or other product as capable of converting a motor
498	498	vehicle to an autonomous vehicle unless the motor vehicle when
499	499	equipped with the technology or other product is able to be operated
500	500	with Level 4 automation or Level 5 automation; or
501	501	(36) advertising or otherwise representing a motor
502	502	vehicle as an autonomous vehicle or as self-driving unless the
503	503	vehicle is able to be operated with Level 4 automation or Level 5
504	504	automation.
505	505	SECTION 8. Section 17.46, Business & Commerce Code, as
506	506	amended by this Act, applies only to an act or practice that occurs
507	507	on or after September 1, 2025. An act or practice that occurs
508	508	before September 1, 2025, is governed by the law in effect on the
509	509	date the act or practice occurred, and the former law is continued
510	510	in effect for that purpose.
511	511	SECTION 9. (a) Not later than October 1, 2025, the
512	512	appropriate appointing authorities shall appoint the members of the
513	513	Autonomous Vehicle Commission as required by Section 1007.002,
514	514	Transportation Code, as added by this Act.
515	515	(b) Not later than December 1, 2025:
516	516	(1) the Autonomous Vehicle Commission shall adopt the
517	517	rules required by Subchapter J, Chapter 545, Transportation Code,
518	518	as amended by this Act, and any other rules necessary to administer
519	519	that subchapter; and
520	520	(2) the Public Safety Commission shall adopt the rule
521	521	required by Section 545.454(b)(1), Transportation Code, as added by
522	522	this Act.
523	523	(c) The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles is not required
524	524	to comply with Section 502.0433, Transportation Code, as added by
525	525	this Act, until January 1, 2026.
526	526	(d) A person is not required to comply with Subchapter J,
527	527	Chapter 545, Transportation Code, as amended by this Act, until
528	528	January 1, 2026.
529	529	SECTION 10. This Act takes effect immediately if it
530	530	receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each
531	531	house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.
532	532	If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate
533	533	effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2025.