S.B. No. 1512 AN ACT 1-1 relating to the implementation of an automated highway-railroad 1-2 grade crossing enforcement system demonstration project. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: 1-5 (1) "Automated highway-railroad grade crossing 1-6 enforcement system" means a system that: 1-7 (A) consists of a photographic camera and 1-8 vehicle sensor installed to work in conjunction with an automatic 1-9 gate installed at a grade crossing; and 1-10 (B) automatically produces one or more 1-11 photographs of a vehicle that does not stop at the automatic gate 1-12 or that proceeds past the automatic gate when movement past the 1-13 gate cannot be made safely. 1-14 (2) "Automatic gate" means a traffic control device 1-15 that consists of a drive mechanism and a gate arm that in the down 1-16 position extends across a traffic lane approaching a grade crossing 1-17 of a public highway and that is activated immediately upon 1-18 detection of the approach of a train. 1-19 (3) "Department" means the Texas Department of 1-20 Transportation. 1-21 (4) "Grade crossing" means the intersection of a 1-22 railroad and a public highway at grade. 1-23 (5) "Public highway" means a publicly maintained way 1-24 that is open to the public for vehicular traffic. 2-1 SECTION 2. INSTALLATION OF AUTOMATED HIGHWAY-RAILROAD GRADE 2-2 CROSSING ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM. (a) As a demonstration project, the 2-3 department shall install and operate an automated highway-railroad 2-4 grade crossing enforcement system in conjunction with no more than 2-5 10 automatic gates in this state. 2-6 (b) The Department of Public Safety, the Railroad Commission 2-7 of Texas, and each county and municipality in this state shall 2-8 cooperate with the department in the implementation of this Act. 2-9 (c) The department shall pay costs associated with the 2-10 demonstration project required by this Act from money appropriated 2-11 to the department for the installation and maintenance of automatic 2-12 gates on public highways in this state. 2-13 SECTION 3. TERM OF PROJECT. The department shall conclude 2-14 the demonstration project required by this Act on August 31, 1997. 2-15 SECTION 4. REPORT. (a) Following the conclusion of the 2-16 demonstration project, the department shall prepare a comprehensive 2-17 report on the results of the project and make recommendations 2-18 regarding the continued use of automated highway-railroad grade 2-19 crossing enforcement systems in this state. 2-20 (b) The department shall before January 1, 1998, deliver the 2-21 report to the governor, the legislature, and the director of the 2-22 Legislative Budget Board. 2-23 SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September 2-24 1, 1995. 2-25 SECTION 6. EMERGENCY. The importance of this legislation 2-26 and the crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-27 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-1 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-2 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.