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