BILL ANALYSIS S.B. 1089 By: Whitmire (Bosse) 05-18-95 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND On several occasions, Houston police officers on horseback have been injured as a result of being thrown from their horse. In many of these cases, the horse was spooked when a vehicle approached from the rear. Despite these risks, the officers are required to ride the horses with traffic. PURPOSE As proposed, S.B. 1089 sets forth traffic laws that are not applicable to peace officers on horseback. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 25, Article 6701d, V.T.C.S. (Uniform Act Regulating Traffic on Highways), as follows: Sec. 25. TRAFFIC LAWS APPLY TO PERSONS RIDING ANIMALS OR DRIVING ANIMAL-DRAWN VEHICLES. (a) Makes conforming changes. (b) Authorizes a peace officer who is riding a horse in the actual discharge of the officer's official duties to disregard regulations governing direction of movement or turning in specified directions, cross certain roadways, ride or stop the horse on a sidewalk, and proceed past a red or stop signal or stop sign when responding to an emergency call or when in pursuit of an actual or suspected violator, but only after slowing the horse as may be necessary. (c) Provides that a peace officer who is riding a horse and is engaged in conduct described by Subsection (b) has the same duty and potential liability as the operator of an authorized emergency vehicle under Section 24(e). SECTION 2. Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION Pursuant to a public notice announced from the House Floor on May 18, 1995, in accordance with House Rules, the House Committee on Transportation met in a formal meeting on the House Floor, at Desk 22, on Thursday, May 18, 1995, and was called to order by the Chairman, Representative Clyde Alexander at 12:40 p.m. The Chair laid out S.B. 1089 by Whitmire. Representative Price moved that the Committee report S.B. 1089, without amendments, to the full House with the recommendation that it do pass. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Ayes (7), Nayes (0), Absent (2), Present not voting (0).