By Dutton                                            H.C.R. No. 213
       74R13451 SMC-D
                              HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
    1-1        WHEREAS, In recent months concerns have been raised about the
    1-2  unequal treatment of motorists on the roads and highways of our
    1-3  state; and
    1-4        WHEREAS, According to a Houston Chronicle analysis of more
    1-5  than 16 million Texas driving records covering a three-year period,
    1-6  minority drivers in and around Texas' major urban areas were twice
    1-7  as likely to be ticketed for traffic violations, such as not having
    1-8  a driver's license or proof of liability insurance, than were other
    1-9  drivers; and
   1-10        WHEREAS, The newspaper's study and subsequent news articles
   1-11  have led to charges by some state and civic leaders of an uneven
   1-12  enforcement of our traffic laws that has led to "traffic ticket
   1-13  traps" based on race in many small cities in and around the state's
   1-14  largest urban areas; and
   1-15        WHEREAS, Any real or perceived inequities with regard to the
   1-16  fair enforcement of traffic laws present a serious problem that
   1-17  must be addressed at the highest level of state government; now,
   1-18  therefore, be it
   1-19        RESOLVED, That the 74th Legislature of the State of Texas
   1-20  hereby direct the Office of the Attorney General to conduct a
   1-21  review of the issue of "traffic ticket traps" as reported in the
   1-22  Houston Chronicle or any other such instance of reported
   1-23  discrimination relating to the state's traffic laws; and, be it
   1-24  further
    2-1        RESOLVED, That the Office of the Attorney General make a full
    2-2  report of its findings and proposed solutions to the 74th
    2-3  Legislature in a timely fashion.