BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 1617 By: Oakley 03-22-95 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND Many states have laws which regulate automobiles with televisions that receive television broadcasts. Current law (Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes, Article 6701(d), Section 139D) prohibits television-type receiving equipment in vehicles located so that the screen is visible to the driver. Vehicle navigational devices are small monitors of about seven inches in diameter that display maps of towns and cities to drivers of automobiles. They display information that is either stored on compact discs or received through satellite feeds. These navigational monitors will help guide recreational and commercial drivers traveling throughout the state. It is vital that these screens are located where they are easily visible to the driver. PURPOSE This bill allows the use of monitoring devices that produce an electronic display used exclusively in conjunction with a mobile navigation system to be placed within the driver's line of sight. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends V.T.C.S., Article 6701d Section 139D by adding Subsection (d) allowing the use of a monitoring device that produces an electronic display and is used exclusively in conjunction with a mobile navigation system installed in the vehicle. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1995. SECTION 3. Emergency clause. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION Pursuant to a public notice posted on March 9, 1995, at 6:16 p.m., the House Committee on Transportation met in a public hearing on Wednesday March 15, 1995, at 2:00 p.m. in Room E1.014 of the Capitol Extension and was called to order at 2:20 p.m. by the Chair, Representative Clyde Alexander to consider H.B. 1617. The Chair recognized the following person who testified in support of H.B. 1617: Dan Hinkle, Electronics Industries Association. No persons testified in opposition to, or neutrally on H.B. 1617. The Chair left H.B. 1617 pending before the Committee. Pursuant to a public notice posted on March 16, 1995, at 5:53 p.m., the House Committee on Transportation met in a public hearing on Wednesday, March 22, 1995 at 2:00 p.m. in Room E1.014 of the Capitol Extension and was called to order at 6:54 p.m. after the rules were suspended on the House floor to meet in public hearing after the posted time, by the Chair, Representative Clyde Alexander. The Chair laid out H.B. 1617. Representative Alonzo moved that the Committee report H.B. 1617 to the full House with the recommendation that it do pass. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Ayes (6), Nayes (0), Absent (3), Present not voting (0).