1-1 By: Sibley S.B. No. 1133 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed March 11, 1997; March 13, 1997, read 1-3 first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs; 1-4 April 7, 1997, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 13, 1-5 Nays 0; April 7, 1997, sent to printer.) 1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-7 AN ACT 1-8 relating to the creation of an emergency telephone call box system 1-9 for highway users in this state. 1-10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-11 SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 6, Transportation Code, is 1-12 amended by adding Chapter 226 to read as follows: 1-13 CHAPTER 226. EMERGENCY HIGHWAY CALL BOX SYSTEM 1-14 Sec. 226.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "emergency 1-15 response services" means: 1-16 (1) fire-fighting, law enforcement, or emergency 1-17 medical services that are provided by a public agency; or 1-18 (2) motorist assistance services. 1-19 Sec. 226.002. APPLICABILITY; LIMITATION ON EXPENDITURES. 1-20 This chapter does not: 1-21 (1) apply to a segment of a highway that the 1-22 commission has designated as a farm-to-market or ranch-to-market 1-23 road; or 1-24 (2) authorize the department to make an expenditure of 1-25 money for the implementation, operation, or maintenance of the 1-26 emergency telephone call box system under this chapter that exceeds 1-27 the amount of money deposited to the credit of the state highway 1-28 fund under Section 502.185(d). 1-29 Sec. 226.003. INSTALLATION, OPERATION, AND MAINTENANCE OF 1-30 CALL BOX SYSTEM. (a) The department shall provide for the 1-31 installation, operation, and maintenance of a system of emergency 1-32 telephone call boxes along those highways in this state that are 1-33 part of the designated state highway system. 1-34 (b) The system must: 1-35 (1) be designed to enable users of those highways to 1-36 communicate with providers of emergency response services; and 1-37 (2) include: 1-38 (A) wireline and wireless telecommunications 1-39 services; and 1-40 (B) one or more motorist assistance answering 1-41 centers. 1-42 Sec. 226.004. DISTANCE BETWEEN CALL BOXES. When the system 1-43 is fully implemented, the distance between two call boxes may not 1-44 exceed two miles, except as prohibited by roadway conditions. 1-45 Sec. 226.005. EMERGENCY TELEPHONE CALL BOX SYSTEM COMMITTEE. 1-46 (a) There is created an emergency telephone call box system 1-47 committee. The committee is composed of the executive officers, or 1-48 the representatives of the executive officers, of: 1-49 (1) the Advisory Commission on State Emergency 1-50 Communications; 1-51 (2) the General Services Commission; 1-52 (3) the Texas Department of Health; and 1-53 (4) the Department of Public Safety. 1-54 (b) The department shall consult with the committee in 1-55 determining the initial placement and spacing of the emergency 1-56 telephone call boxes. 1-57 (c) The committee shall advise and assist the department in: 1-58 (1) the design, operation, and maintenance of the 1-59 system; and 1-60 (2) the development of specifications for each 1-61 contract to be awarded under this chapter. 1-62 Sec. 226.006. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FROM ADVISORY COMMISSION 1-63 ON STATE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS. The Advisory Commission on 1-64 State Emergency Communications shall provide technical assistance 2-1 to the department, including things necessary to support the proper 2-2 routing of a call made to an emergency response services provider 2-3 from an emergency telephone call box and any emergency response to 2-4 that call. 2-5 Sec. 226.007. CONTRACTS FOR IMPLEMENTATION AND INSTALLATION 2-6 OF CALL BOX SYSTEM. (a) The department shall: 2-7 (1) award one or more contracts to implement the 2-8 system not later than June 1, 1998; 2-9 (2) require that installation of the system begin not 2-10 later than September 1, 1998; and 2-11 (3) implement the system in each area of the state 2-12 that has cellular telephone coverage not later than May 1, 2003. 2-13 (b) A contract awarded under this chapter shall be awarded 2-14 by the department in the manner provided by Chapter 223. 2-15 (c) The department may solicit proposals for and enter into 2-16 one or more lease-purchase agreements under this chapter. 2-17 Sec. 226.008. INTERGOVERNMENTAL COOPERATION. The Advisory 2-18 Commission on State Emergency Communications, agencies of this 2-19 state, and each county and municipality in this state shall 2-20 cooperate with the department in the design, establishment, 2-21 operation, and maintenance of the emergency telephone call box 2-22 system. 2-23 Sec. 226.009. ANNUAL REPORTS. (a) Not later than November 2-24 1 of each year, the department shall file with the lieutenant 2-25 governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the 2-26 Legislative Budget Board a report on the activities under this 2-27 chapter during the preceding fiscal year. 2-28 (b) The report may include the department's recommendations 2-29 for action by the legislature. 2-30 SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 502, Transportation Code, 2-31 is amended by adding Section 502.185 to read as follows: 2-32 Sec. 502.185. EMERGENCY TELEPHONE CALL BOX SYSTEM FEE. 2-33 (a) When a person registers a vehicle under this chapter, except 2-34 as provided by Subsection (b), the person shall pay, in addition to 2-35 the registration fee, a fee of $1. 2-36 (b) Subsection (a) does not apply to a vehicle that is owned 2-37 by and used exclusively in the service of the United States, this 2-38 state, or a political subdivision of this state. 2-39 (c) The county assessor-collector shall send each $1 fee 2-40 collected under this section to the department before the 30th day 2-41 after the date it is collected. 2-42 (d) Each $1 fee under this section that is collected by the 2-43 department or that is sent to the department shall be deposited to 2-44 the credit of a separate account in the state highway fund. Except 2-45 as provided by Subsection (e), money in the account may be used 2-46 only for the purpose of implementing or administering the emergency 2-47 telephone call box system established by the department under 2-48 Chapter 226. 2-49 (e) If the amount of money deposited to the credit of the 2-50 state highway fund under Subsection (d) is greater than the amount 2-51 of money necessary to design, implement, operate, and maintain the 2-52 emergency telephone call box system, the department may use the 2-53 surplus for any purpose for which money in that fund may be spent. 2-54 (f) Section 403.095, Government Code, does not apply to 2-55 money deposited in the state highway fund under this section. 2-56 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997. Section 2-57 502.185, Transportation Code, as added by this Act, applies only to 2-58 a person who registers a vehicle in this state on or after that 2-59 date. 2-60 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 2-61 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-62 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-63 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-64 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended. 2-65 * * * * *