1-1     By:  Ogden                                             S.B. No. 586
 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed February 7, 2001; February 8, 2001,
 1-3     read first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs;
 1-4     March 7, 2001, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 9,
 1-5     Nays 0; March 7, 2001, sent to printer.)
 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-7                                   AN ACT
 1-8     relating to the creation of the Center for Transportation Safety as
 1-9     part of the Texas Transportation Institute.
1-10           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-11           SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that:
1-12                 (1)  in 1998, over 3,500 people died on Texas roads,
1-13     and the economic loss associated with traffic crashes in Texas in
1-14     that year was nearly $9 billion;
1-15                 (2)  in 1999, there were 3,106 fatal traffic accidents
1-16     that resulted in 3,519 deaths;
1-17                 (3)  deaths in rural areas of Texas, which are areas
1-18     that include towns with a population of less than 5,000, increased
1-19     by 1.4 percent over the number of deaths in 1998.  These deaths
1-20     constitute 59.6 percent of the statewide death toll, as compared to
1-21     58 percent of all of the state's traffic deaths in 1998.  The death
1-22     toll on rural interstates increased by 2.5 percent, from 238 in
1-23     1998 to 244 in 1999;
1-24                 (4)  there were no days in 1998 or 1999 during which
1-25     there were no deaths on Texas highways;
1-26                 (5)  as vehicle miles of travel continue to increase at
1-27     a much more rapid rate than does new roadway capacity, roadway
1-28     safety will become an even more serious issue in the years to come;
1-29                 (6)  although significant progress has been made over
1-30     the past two decades in reducing fatalities per vehicle mile
1-31     traveled, the absolute number of fatalities has remained at an
1-32     unacceptable level;
1-33                 (7)  for many years the topic of roadway safety has not
1-34     been a priority for research and education, resulting in a shortage
1-35     of educated professionals, poor and incomplete databases, and the
1-36     inadequate advancement of the state of the practice;
1-37                 (8)  new technologies and systems are on the horizon
1-38     that, with research and implementation, can effect major
1-39     improvements in roadway safety; and
1-40                 (9)  for these reasons the state must focus not only on
1-41     transportation issues of adding capacity and economic development,
1-42     but on issues of public health and safety.
1-43           SECTION 2.  Chapter 88, Education Code, is amended by adding
1-44     Subchapter J to read as follows:
1-45               SUBCHAPTER J.  CENTER FOR TRANSPORTATION SAFETY
1-46           Sec. 88.801.  DEFINITIONS.  In this chapter:
1-47                 (1)  "Center" means the Center for Transportation
1-48     Safety.
1-49                 (2)  "Institute" means the Texas Transportation
1-50     Institute, a component of The Texas A&M University System.
1-51           Sec. 88.802.  ESTABLISHMENT.  The Center for Transportation
1-52     Safety is established as a component of the institute and shall be
1-53     administered in the same manner as other programs of the institute.
1-54           Sec. 88.803.  PROGRAMS.  (a)  The center shall conduct
1-55     programs of research, education, and technology transfer to support
1-56     the state's role in improving the safety of the roadways in this
1-57     state.
1-58           (b)  The programs may include, but are not limited to:
1-59                 (1)  developing and testing roadway safety technologies
1-60     and supporting their implementation;
1-61                 (2)  aiding transportation planners to better prepare
1-62     for future roadway transportation needs;
1-63                 (3)  studying complex policy issues and providing input
1-64     as to how roadway safety affects such issues and affects roadway
 2-1     transportation for sustainable development;
 2-2                 (4)  conducting research and studies that foster
 2-3     productivity and  competitiveness in the roadway safety industry;
 2-4                 (5)  fostering public awareness of the importance of
 2-5     roadway safety to the economy of this state;
 2-6                 (6)  transferring knowledge and technology to industry,
 2-7     state and local governments, and the public;
 2-8                 (7)  establishing programs and partnerships with public
 2-9     or private entities to develop and implement new policies,
2-10     technology, strategies, relationships, and sources of funding;
2-11                 (8)  studying environmental conflicts, complements, and
2-12     risks associated with roadway transportation;
2-13                 (9)  engaging in other activities consistent with the
2-14     purpose of the center; and
2-15                 (10)  other activities as determined by the board.
2-16           Sec. 88.804.  CONTRACTS.  The center may enter into
2-17     interagency contracts and agreements and may contract with local,
2-18     state, county, federal, and private entities for work under the
2-19     center's programs.
2-20           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
2-21     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
2-22     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
2-23     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
2-24     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
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