HBA-MSH H.B. 3072 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3072 By: Chisum Transportation 4/19/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Recent changes in automobile design have altered the size and position of stoplamps and turn signal lamps in ways that may decrease the visibility of those lamps. Current law does not specify the size of these lamps, and for stoplamps only specifies that it be mounted on the rear of the vehicle. House Bill 3072 sets forth provisions relating to the size and position of vehicle stoplamps and turn signal lamps. 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 3072 amends the Transportation Code to require that a vehicle stoplamp emit a red light that illuminates continuously while the vehicle service brake is applied and deletes the requirement that a stoplamp may also emit an amber light or a color between red and amber. The bill prohibits a single compartment stoplamp from having a functional lighted lens area of less than 50 square centimeters. If multiple compartment lamps or multiple lamps are used, the bill prohibits each compartment or lamp from having a functional lighted lens area of less than 22 square centimeters. The bill requires certain vehicles to be equipped with a high-mounted stoplamp that has an effective projected luminous area of at least 4-1/2 square inches and specifies other requirements for the high-mounted stoplamp. The bill prohibits a single compartment turn signal lamp from having a functional lighted lens area of less than 50 square centimeters. If multiple compartment lamps or multiple lamps are used, the bill prohibits each compartment or lamp from having a functional lighted lens area of less than 22 square centimeters. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.