SRC-AAA S.B. 1704 75(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 1704 By: Ogden State Affairs 4-10-97 As Filed DIGEST Currently, the law sets speed limits on farm-to-market and ranch-to-market roads at 70 miles per hour in the daytime and 65 miles per hour at nighttime. There are many two-lane farm-to-market and ranch-to-market roads in this state that do not have paved shoulders and are dangerous to travel at the 70-mile-per-hour speed limit. This bill provides that a lawful speed is 70 miles per hour in the daytime and 65 miles per hour on a farm-to-market road if that road has improved shoulders and pavement width greater than 20 feet; and 60 miles per hour in the daytime and 55 miles per hour at night on a highway that is outside and urban district and on a farm-to-market or ranch-to-market road having no improved shoulders and a pavement width of 20 feet or less. PURPOSE As proposed, S.B. 1704 provides that a lawful speed is 70 miles per hour in the daytime and 65 miles per hour on a farm-to-market road if that road has improved shoulders and pavement width greater than 20 feet; and 60 miles per hour in the daytime and 55 miles per hour at night on a highway that is outside and urban district and on a farm-to-market or ranch-to-market road having no improved shoulders and a pavement width of 20 feet or less. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 545.352(b), Transportation Code, to provide that a lawful speed is 70 miles per hour in daytime and 65 miles per hour in nighttime on a farm-to-market road if that road has improved shoulders and pavement width greater than 20 feet; and 60 miles per hour in daytime and 55 miles per hour at night on a highway that is outside and urban district and on a farm-tomarket or ranch-to-market road having no improved shoulders and a pavement width 20 feet or less. SECTION 2. Makes application of this Act prospective. SECTION 3. Emergency clause. Effective date: 90 days after adjournment