Bill Text: TX SB445 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Enrolled

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Bill Title: Relating to the use of a flashing warning signal light and certain other equipment by a person operating a school bus.

Sponsorship: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-1)

Status: (Passed) 2021-06-14 - Effective on 9/1/21 [SB445 Detail]

Download: Texas-2021-SB445-Enrolled.html

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S.B. No. 445

AN ACT
relating to the use of a flashing warning signal light and certain
other equipment by a person operating a school bus.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 547.701, Transportation Code, is amended
by amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (c-1) to read as
follows:
(c) When a school bus is being stopped or is stopped on a
highway to permit students to board or exit the bus, the operator of
the bus shall activate all flashing warning signal lights and other
equipment on the bus designed to warn other drivers that the bus is
stopping to load or unload children.
(c-1) A person may not operate [such] a light or other
equipment described by Subsection (c) except when a school [the]
bus is being stopped or is stopped on a highway to:
(1) permit a student [students] to board or exit the
bus; or
(2) distribute to a student or the parent or guardian
of a student:
(A) food; or
(B) technological equipment for use by the
student for educational purposes.
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, 2021.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 445 passed the Senate on
April 9, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that
the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 28, 2021, by the
following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 445 passed the House, with
amendment, on May 11, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 142,
Nays 1, two present not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
______________________________
Date
______________________________
Governor