SRC-JJJ H.B. 352 76(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 352
By: Denny (Brown)
Intergovernmental Relations
5/10/1999
Engrossed


DIGEST 

In 1989, the legislature attempted to regulate certain municipalities' use
of  "speed traps" by enacting a law limiting the amount of traffic-fine
revenue retained by a municipality with a population of 5,000 or less to 30
percent of its total revenue from the preceding fiscal year .  The 74th
Legislature sought to prevent cities from circumventing the intent of the
law by correcting technical deficiencies in 1995, but the corrections were
not carried into the Transportation Code by the recodification of the law
that same year.  Under current statute, the 30 percent limit applies only
to violations of highway laws in Title 7G, Transportation Code.  H.B. 352
would apply the limitation to revenue collected under all of Title 7.  

PURPOSE

As proposed, H.B. 352 establishes the limit on fines collected by
municipalities for traffic violations.  

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 542.402, Transportation Code, to require a
municipality or county to use a fine collected for a violation of a highway
law in this title, rather than subtitle, for certain construction,
enforcement of laws, and for defraying the expenses of county traffic
officers..  Deletes text regarding highway laws.  Makes conforming changes.

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.
  Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.