By Carter H.B. No. 1437 75R4914 JD-F 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. Subtitle B, Title 6, Transportation Code, is 1-6 amended by adding Chapter 226 to read as follows: 1-7 CHAPTER 226. EMERGENCY HIGHWAY CALL BOX SYSTEM 1-8 Sec. 226.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "emergency 1-9 response services" means: 1-10 (1) firefighting, law enforcement, or emergency 1-11 medical services that are provided by a public agency; or 1-12 (2) motorist assistance services. 1-13 Sec. 226.002. APPLICABILITY; LIMITATION ON EXPENDITURES. 1-14 This chapter does not: 1-15 (1) apply to a segment of a highway that the 1-16 commission has designated as a farm-to-market or ranch-to-market 1-17 road; or 1-18 (2) authorize the department to make an expenditure of 1-19 money for the implementation, operation, or maintenance of the 1-20 emergency telephone call box system under this chapter that exceeds 1-21 the amount of money deposited to the credit of the state highway 1-22 fund under Section 502.185(d). 1-23 Sec. 226.003. INSTALLATION, OPERATION, AND MAINTENANCE OF 1-24 CALL BOX SYSTEM. (a) The department shall provide for the 2-1 installation, operation, and maintenance of a system of emergency 2-2 telephone call boxes along those highways in this state that are 2-3 part of the designated state highway system. 2-4 (b) The system must: 2-5 (1) be designed to enable users of those highways to 2-6 communicate with providers of emergency response services; and 2-7 (2) include: 2-8 (A) wireline and wireless telecommunications 2-9 services; and 2-10 (B) one or more motorist assistance answering 2-11 centers. 2-12 Sec. 226.004. DISTANCE BETWEEN CALL BOXES. When the system 2-13 is fully implemented, the distance between two call boxes may not 2-14 exceed two miles, except as prohibited by roadway conditions. 2-15 Sec. 226.005. EMERGENCY TELEPHONE CALL BOX SYSTEM COMMITTEE. 2-16 (a) There is created an emergency telephone call box system 2-17 committee. The committee is composed of the executive officers, or 2-18 the representatives of the executive officers, of: 2-19 (1) the Advisory Commission on State Emergency 2-20 Communications; 2-21 (2) the General Services Commission; 2-22 (3) the Texas Department of Health; and 2-23 (4) the Department of Public Safety. 2-24 (b) The department shall consult with the committee in 2-25 determining the initial placement and spacing of the emergency 2-26 telephone call boxes. 2-27 (c) The committee shall advise and assist the department in: 3-1 (1) the design, operation, and maintenance of the 3-2 system; and 3-3 (2) the development of specifications for each 3-4 contract to be awarded under this chapter. 3-5 Sec. 226.006. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FROM ADVISORY COMMISSION 3-6 ON STATE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS. The Advisory Commission on 3-7 State Emergency Communications shall provide technical assistance 3-8 to the department, including things necessary to support the proper 3-9 routing of a call made to an emergency response services provider 3-10 from an emergency telephone call box and any emergency response to 3-11 that call. 3-12 Sec. 226.007. CONTRACTS FOR IMPLEMENTATION AND INSTALLATION 3-13 OF CALL BOX SYSTEM. (a) The department shall: 3-14 (1) award one or more contracts to implement the 3-15 system not later than June 1, 1998; 3-16 (2) require that installation of the system begin not 3-17 later than September 1, 1998; and 3-18 (3) implement the system in each area of the state 3-19 that has cellular telephone coverage not later than May 1, 2003. 3-20 (b) A contract awarded under this chapter shall be awarded 3-21 by the department in the manner provided by Chapter 223. 3-22 (c) The department may solicit proposals for and enter into 3-23 one or more lease-purchase agreements under this chapter. 3-24 Sec. 226.008. INTERGOVERNMENTAL COOPERATION. The Advisory 3-25 Commission on State Emergency Communications, agencies of this 3-26 state, and each county and municipality in this state shall 3-27 cooperate with the department in the design, establishment, 4-1 operation, and maintenance of the emergency telephone call box 4-2 system. 4-3 Sec. 226.009. ANNUAL REPORTS. (a) Not later than November 4-4 1 of each year, the department shall file with the lieutenant 4-5 governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the 4-6 Legislative Budget Board a report on the activities under this 4-7 chapter during the preceding fiscal year. 4-8 (b) The report may include the department's recommendations 4-9 for action by the legislature. 4-10 SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 502, Transportation Code, 4-11 is amended by adding Section 502.185 to read as follows: 4-12 Sec. 502.185. EMERGENCY TELEPHONE CALL BOX SYSTEM FEE. 4-13 (a) When a person registers a vehicle under this chapter, except 4-14 as provided by Subsection (b) of this section, the person shall 4-15 pay, in addition to the registration fee, a fee of $1. 4-16 (b) Subsection (a) does not apply to a vehicle that is owned 4-17 by and used exclusively in the service of the United States, this 4-18 state, or a political subdivision of this state. 4-19 (c) The county assessor-collector shall send each $1 fee 4-20 collected under this section to the department before the 30th day 4-21 after the date it is collected. 4-22 (d) Each $1 fee under this section that is collected by the 4-23 department or that is sent to the department shall be deposited to 4-24 the credit of a separate account in the state highway fund. Except 4-25 as provided by Subsection (e), money in the account may be used 4-26 only for the purpose of implementing or administering the emergency 4-27 telephone call box system established by the department under 5-1 Chapter 226. 5-2 (e) If the amount of money deposited to the credit of the 5-3 state highway fund under Subsection (d) is greater than the amount 5-4 of money necessary to design, implement, operate, and maintain the 5-5 emergency telephone call box system, the department may use the 5-6 surplus for any purpose for which money in that fund may be spent. 5-7 (f) Section 403.095, Government Code, does not apply to 5-8 money deposited in the state highway fund under this section. 5-9 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997. Section 5-10 502.185, Transportation Code, as added by this Act, applies only to 5-11 a person who registers a vehicle in this state on or after that 5-12 date. 5-13 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 5-14 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 5-15 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 5-16 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 5-17 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.