HBA-MSH H.B. 1471 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1471 By: Turner, Bob Public Safety 3/7/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The Texas emergency call box program was initiated in 1993 in five roadway sections in four counties. The program consists of a system of emergency telephone call boxes (system) which are designed to enable users of certain state highways to request emergency and nonemergency response services. Currently, the Texas Department of Transportation may not use state highway funds for the system. Therefore, the system relies upon public and private entities to pay all direct and indirect costs for the system. House Bill 1471 authorizes TxDOT to use money from the general revenue fund for the system and expands the system to cover each area of the state that has cellular phone coverage. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 1471 amends the Transportation Code to authorize the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to use money deposited to the credit of the general revenue fund to make an expenditure for the emergency call box system (system). The bill makes the duties of TxDOT as they relate to the installment, operation, and maintenance of a system mandatory, rather than optional. The bill requires TxDOT to implement the system in each area of the state that has cellular phone coverage. The bill requires the Commission on State Emergency Communications to provide oversight and coordination of the system. The bill requires TxDOT to file annual reports regarding the system with the legislature and the Legislative Budget Board. The bill provides that the system is subject to the Texas Sunset Act and expires on September 1, 2011. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.