By Carter H.B. No. 1954
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1954:
By Alexander C.S.H.B. No. 1954
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the creation of an emergency telephone call box system
1-3 for highway users in this state.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Title 116, Revised Statutes, is amended by adding
1-6 Article 66731 to read as follows:
1-7 Art. 66731. EMERGENCY HIGHWAY TELEPHONE CALL BOX SYSTEM.
1-8 (a) In this article:
1-9 (1) "Commission" means the Texas Transportation
1-10 Commission.
1-11 (2) "Department" means the Department of
1-12 Transportation.
1-13 (3) "Emergency response services" means:
1-14 (A) firefighting, law enforcement, or emergency
1-15 medical services that are provided by a public agency; or
1-16 (B) motorist assistance services.
1-17 (4) "Public agency" has the meaning assigned by
1-18 Section 771.001, Health and Safety Code.
1-19 (b) This article does not apply to a segment of a highway
1-20 that the commission has designated as a farm-to-market or
1-21 ranch-to-market road.
1-22 (c) The department shall provide for the installation,
1-23 operation, and maintenance of a system of emergency telephone call
1-24 boxes along those highways in this state that are part of the
2-1 designated state highway system. Implementation will commence
2-2 along rural interstate highways, including rest stops and roadside
2-3 parks. The system must:
2-4 (1) be designed to enable users of those highways to
2-5 communicate with providers of emergency response services; and
2-6 (2) include:
2-7 (A) wireline and wireless telecommunications
2-8 services; and
2-9 (B) one or more motorist assistance answering
2-10 centers.
2-11 (d) When the system is fully implemented, the distance
2-12 between two call boxes may not exceed two miles, except as
2-13 prohibited by roadway conditions or when 24 hour communication
2-14 service exists.
2-15 (e) There is created an emergency telephone call box system
2-16 committee. The committee is composed of the executive directors of
2-17 the Advisory Commission on State Emergency Communications, General
2-18 Services Commission, Texas Department of Health, and Department of
2-19 Public Safety, or their designated representatives.
2-20 (f) The department shall consult with the committee in
2-21 determining the initial placement and spacing of the telephone call
2-22 boxes. The committee shall advise and assist the department in:
2-23 (1) the design, operation, and maintenance of the
2-24 system; and
2-25 (2) developing specifications for each contract to be
2-26 awarded under this article.
2-27 (g) The Advisory Commission on State Emergency
3-1 Communications shall provide technical assistance to the
3-2 department, including things necessary to support the proper
3-3 routing of a call made to an emergency response service provider
3-4 from an emergency highway telephone call box, and any emergency
3-5 response to that call.
3-6 (h) The department shall:
3-7 (1) award one or more contracts to implement the
3-8 system not later than June 1, 1996; and
3-9 (2) require that installation of the system begin not
3-10 later than September 1, 1996.
3-11 (i) A contract under this article shall be awarded by the
3-12 department in the manner provided by Chapter 186, General Laws,
3-13 Acts of the 39th Legislature, Regular Session, 1925 (Article 6674a
3-14 et seq., Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes). The department may
3-15 solicit proposals for and enter into one or more lease-purchase
3-16 agreements under this article.
3-17 (j) The Advisory Commission on State Emergency
3-18 Communications, agencies of this state, and each county and
3-19 municipality in this state shall cooperate with the department in
3-20 the design, establishment, operation, and maintenance of the
3-21 emergency call box system.
3-22 (k) Not later than November 1 of each year, the department
3-23 shall file with the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house
3-24 of representatives, and the Legislative Budget Board a report on
3-25 the activities under this article during the preceding fiscal year.
3-26 The report may include the department's recommendations for action
3-27 by the legislature.
4-1 (l) This article does not authorize the department to make
4-2 an expenditure of money for the implementation, operation, or
4-3 maintenance of the emergency telephone call box system that exceeds
4-4 the amount of money deposited to the credit of the state highway
4-5 fund under Section 19, Chapter 173, Acts of the 47th Legislature,
4-6 Regular Session, 1941, (Article 6687b, Vernon's Texas Civil
4-7 Statutes) and Section 19, Texas Commercial Driver's License Act
4-8 (Article 6687b-2, Revised Statutes).
4-9 SECTION 2. Section 15, Chapter 173, Acts of the 47th
4-10 Legislature, Regular Session, 1941 (Article 6687b, Vernon's Texas
4-11 Civil Statutes), is amended by amending Subsection (b) to read as
4-12 follows:
4-13 (b) Except as provided by Subsection (d) of Section 19 of
4-14 this Act, all <All> fees and charges required by this Act and
4-15 remitted to the Department shall be deposited in the General
4-16 Revenue Fund.
4-17 SECTION 3. Section 19, Chapter 173, Acts of the 47th
4-18 Legislature, Regular Session, 1941, (Article 6687b, Vernon's Texas
4-19 Civil Statutes), is amended by adding Subsections (d) and (e) as
4-20 follows:
4-21 (d) When the department issues an original or renewal of a
4-22 license under this Act, the person shall pay, in addition to the
4-23 required fee, a fee of $1. Each $1 fee under this subsection that
4-24 is collected by the department shall be deposited to the credit of
4-25 a separate account in the state highway fund. Money in the account
4-26 may be used only for the purpose of implementing or administering
4-27 the emergency telephone call box system established by the Texas
5-1 Department of Transportation under Article 66731, Revised Statutes.
5-2 (e) Sections 403.094 and 403.095, Government Code, do not
5-3 apply to money deposited in the state highway fund under this
5-4 section.
5-5 SECTION 4. Section 19 of the Texas Commercial Driver's
5-6 License Act (Article 6687b-2, Revised Statutes) is amended by
5-7 amending Subsection (e) and by adding Subsections (f) and (g) to
5-8 read as follows:
5-9 (e) All fees and charges required by this article and
5-10 collected by an officer or agent of the department shall be
5-11 remitted without deduction to the department. Except as provided
5-12 by Subsection (f), the <The> fees and charges shall be deposited in
5-13 the state treasury to the credit of the general revenue fund.
5-14 (f) When the department issues an original or renewal of a
5-15 license under this Act, the person shall pay, in addition to the
5-16 required fee, a fee of $1. Each $1 fee under this subsection that
5-17 is collected by the department shall be deposited to the credit of
5-18 a separate account in the state highway fund. Money in the account
5-19 may be used only for the purposes of implementing or administering
5-20 the emergency telephone call box system established by the Texas
5-21 Department of Transportation under Article 66731, Revised Statutes.
5-22 (g) Sections 403.094 and 403.095, Government Code, do not
5-23 apply to money deposited in the state highway fund under this
5-24 section.
5-25 SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995. The
5-26 change in law made by Sections 3 and 4 of this Act applies only to
5-27 a person who applies for or renews a license on or after that date.
6-1 SECTION 6. The importance of this legislation and the
6-2 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
6-3 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
6-4 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
6-5 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.