SRC-SEW H.B. 2263 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center H.B. 2263 77R11523 JAT-FBy: Danburg (Gallegos) State Affairs 5/9/2001 Engrossed DIGEST AND PURPOSE The Texas historical marker program provides information about historically significant sites, people, and events in Texas. The program has been used to promote tourism and interest in local and state history for almost 40 years. The Texas Historical Commission has recently led the effort to rehabilitate and catalogue the historical roadside markers throughout the state and to create a database of the markers. No state travel guide is published to disseminate this information to travelers. H.B. 2263 requires the Texas Department of Transportation, in consultation with the Texas Historical Commission, to publish a guide to roadside historical markers. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 442, Government Code, by adding Section 442.0065, as follows: Sec. 442.0065. GUIDE TO HISTORICAL MARKERS. (a) Defines "department." (b) Requires the Texas Department of Transportation (department), in consultation with the Texas Historical Commission (commission), to publish a guide to historical markers along roadways in this state that includes certain information. (c) Requires the department to erect and maintain, for each historical marker, if practicable, signs informing users of the roadway of the marker and indicating the identifying number of the marker. Requires the department to erect a sign under this subsection approximately one mile preceding the historical marker if that placement is practicable. (d) Requires the department to use information from the commission's Texas historical roadside marker restoration program and the state historical marker program under Section 442.006 in creating the guide to historical markers under Subsection (b). (e) Requires the department to make available to the public the guide published under Subsection (b) at a reasonable price determined by the department. SECTION 2. Provides that the Texas Department of Transportation is not required by Section 442.0065, Government Code, as added by this Act, to replace or change a historical marker sign that was erected before the effective date of this Act except in the normal course of maintenance of the sign. SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2001.