Bill Text: TX HB471 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to safety equipment requirements for certain cyclists; changing the elements of an offense.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-04-16 - Left pending in committee [HB471 Detail]

Download: Texas-2015-HB471-Introduced.html

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84R2901 JXC-D
By: Farias H.B. No. 471

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to safety equipment requirements for certain cyclists;
changing the elements of an offense.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 551.104(b), Transportation Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(b) A person may not operate a bicycle at nighttime unless
the person or bicycle is equipped with:
(1) a lamp [on the front of the bicycle] that emits a
flashing or steady white light visible from a distance of at least
500 feet in front of the bicycle; and
(2) [on the rear of the bicycle:
[(A) a red reflector that is:
[(i) of a type approved by the department;
and
[(ii) visible when directly in front of
lawful upper beams of motor vehicle headlamps from all distances
from 50 to 300 feet to the rear of the bicycle; or
[(B)] a lamp that emits a flashing or steady red
light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to the rear of the
bicycle.
SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only
to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act.
An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is
governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed,
and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For
purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the
effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred
before that date.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.