HBA-MPA H.B. 1359 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1359
By: Krusee
Transportation
3/17/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, residents of a master planned community can drive their golf
carts to and from a golf course without having to register and insure their
golf carts as they would an automobile.  Residents of these communities
would like to use their carts to travel to and from fitness centers and
other amenities within their communities, as well as neighbor's homes
without having to register and insure their carts.  H.B. 1359 allows golf
cart use within these access-restricted communities without current
registration and insurance requirements. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 502.284(a), Transportation Code, to provide that
an owner of a golf cart is not required to register the golf cart if among
other conditions the operation does not exceed a distance of two miles
driven to and from a golf course or occurs entirely within a master planned
community.  Deletes language limiting a golf cart owner's exemption from
registration requirements to a cart that is only driven to and from a golf
course. 

SECTION 2.Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 3.Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 4.Emergency clause.