HBA-ALS, RAR C.S.H.B. 932 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 932
By: Hawley
Transportation
4/6/1999
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, a car or light truck that tows a trailer, semitrailer,
or housetrailer must use safety chains attached to the towing vehicle as a
secondary safety device in case the primary bar were to disconnect.
However, there is no such requirement for a car or light truck towing
another motor vehicle. C.S.H.B. 932 prohibits a car or light truck from
drawing another motor vehicle without using towing safety chains. 

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 Sections 545.410(a), (b), and (d), Transportation Code,
to include "another motor vehicle" among the items that are prohibited from
being drawn by a passenger car or light truck without using towing safety
chains of the type and in the manner approved by the Texas Department of
Transportation.  Makes conforming changes. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

The substitute modifies the original in SECTION 1 (Section 545.410,
Transportation Code) by deleting the provision which prohibited a truck
from drawing certain trailers or another motor vehicle without using towing
safety chains.