By Ellis, et al. S.B. No. 1368 75R6939 CAG-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the enforcement of certain traffic laws by private 1-3 institutions of higher education. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 600, Transportation Code, is amended by 1-6 adding Section 600.003 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 600.003. ENFORCEMENT OF CERTAIN TRAFFIC LAWS BY PRIVATE 1-8 INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION. (a) In this section, "private 1-9 or independent institution of higher education" has the meaning 1-10 assigned by Section 61.003(15), Education Code. 1-11 (b) A private or independent institution of higher education 1-12 may enforce a traffic law of this state under Chapter 545 1-13 restricting or prohibiting the operation or movement of vehicles on 1-14 a road of the institution if: 1-15 (1) the road of the institution is open to the public 1-16 at the time the traffic law is enforced; 1-17 (2) the governing body of the institution adopts a 1-18 regulation to enforce the traffic law; and 1-19 (3) the restriction or prohibition on the operation 1-20 and movement of vehicles adopted by the institution: 1-21 (A) is posted by means of a sign, marking, 1-22 signal, or other device visible to and, if it contains writing, 1-23 able to be read by an operator of a vehicle to whom the restriction 1-24 or prohibition applies in the same manner as a similar restriction 2-1 or prohibition on the operation and movement of vehicles would be 2-2 posted by a municipality; and 2-3 (B) has been approved by: 2-4 (i) the commissioners court of the county 2-5 in which the applicable road of the institution is located, if the 2-6 road is located in the unincorporated area of a county; or 2-7 (ii) the governing body of the 2-8 municipality in which the applicable road of the institution is 2-9 located, if the road is located in a municipality. 2-10 (c) Campus security personnel of the institution 2-11 commissioned under Section 51.212, Education Code, are authorized 2-12 to enforce the provisions of the section and have the authority to 2-13 issue and use traffic tickets and summons in a form prescribed by 2-14 the Texas Department of Public Safety to enforce this chapter on 2-15 property of the institution. 2-16 (d) The same procedures that apply to a traffic ticket or 2-17 summons by a commissioned peace officer of an institution of higher 2-18 education under Sections 51.206 and 51.210, Education Code, also 2-19 apply to a ticket or summons issued under this section. 2-20 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997. 2-21 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-22 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-23 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-24 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-25 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.