| 1 | | - | By: Hancock, Eckhardt S.B. No. 1816 |
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| 1 | + | By: Hancock S.B. No. 1816 |
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| 2 | + | (In the Senate - Filed March 3, 2025; March 13, 2025, read |
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| 3 | + | first time and referred to Committee on Transportation; |
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| 4 | + | March 27, 2025, reported adversely, with favorable Committee |
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| 5 | + | Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; March 27, 2025, |
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| 6 | + | sent to printer.) |
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| 7 | + | Click here to see the committee vote |
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| 8 | + | COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1816 By: Hinojosa of Hidalgo |
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| 4 | 9 | | |
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| 5 | 10 | | |
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| 6 | 11 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 7 | 12 | | AN ACT |
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| 8 | 13 | | relating to the titling, registration, and operation of a miniature |
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| 9 | 14 | | vehicle. |
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| 10 | 15 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 16 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 501, Transportation Code, |
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| 12 | 17 | | is amended by adding Section 501.009 to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 18 | | Sec. 501.009. TITLE FOR MINIATURE VEHICLE. (a) In this |
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| 14 | 19 | | section, "miniature vehicle" has the meaning assigned by Section |
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| 15 | 20 | | 502.001. |
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| 16 | 21 | | (b) For purposes of issuing a title under this chapter, a |
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| 17 | 22 | | miniature vehicle is considered to be a motor vehicle. |
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| 18 | 23 | | SECTION 2. Section 502.001, Transportation Code, is amended |
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| 19 | 24 | | by adding Subdivision (21-a) to read as follows: |
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| 20 | 25 | | (21-a) "Miniature vehicle" means a miniature motor |
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| 21 | 26 | | vehicle that: |
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| 22 | 27 | | (A) is designed to propel itself with four or |
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| 23 | 28 | | more tires in contact with the ground; |
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| 24 | 29 | | (B) complies with applicable federal law; and |
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| 25 | 30 | | (C) is not a custom vehicle or street rod, as |
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| 26 | 31 | | those terms are defined by Section 504.501, a neighborhood electric |
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| 27 | 32 | | vehicle, as defined by Section 551.301, a golf cart, as defined by |
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| 28 | 33 | | Section 551.401, or an off-highway vehicle, as defined by Section |
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| 29 | 34 | | 551A.001. |
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| 30 | 35 | | SECTION 3. Subchapter A, Chapter 502, Transportation Code, |
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| 31 | 36 | | is amended by adding Section 502.006 to read as follows: |
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| 32 | 37 | | Sec. 502.006. REGISTRATION OF MINIATURE VEHICLE. For |
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| 33 | 38 | | purposes of registering a vehicle under this chapter, a miniature |
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| 34 | 39 | | vehicle is considered to be a motor vehicle. |
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| 35 | 40 | | SECTION 4. Subchapter I, Chapter 545, Transportation Code, |
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| 36 | 41 | | is amended by adding Section 545.429 to read as follows: |
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| 37 | 42 | | Sec. 545.429. OPERATION OF MINIATURE VEHICLE. (a) In this |
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| 38 | 43 | | section, "miniature vehicle" has the meaning assigned by Section |
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| 39 | 44 | | 502.001. |
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| 40 | 45 | | (b) A person may operate a miniature vehicle on a public |
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| 41 | 46 | | highway only if: |
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| 42 | 47 | | (1) the vehicle has been registered and titled in |
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| 43 | 48 | | accordance with the laws of this state; and |
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| 44 | 49 | | (2) the vehicle is capable of operating in compliance |
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| 45 | 50 | | with applicable traffic laws in this title. |
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| 46 | 51 | | SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 47 | 52 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 48 | 53 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 49 | 54 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 50 | 55 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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