BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center                                                                                                     H.B. 1279

80R11082 JD-D                                                                                             By: Deshotel (Watson)

                                                                                                 Transportation & Homeland Security

                                                                                                                                            4/28/2007

                                                                                                                                           Engrossed

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Currently, some traffic-actuated lights that monitor traffic do not recognize motorcycles because of their comparatively light weight.

 

H.B. 1279 requires that certain traffic-actuated detectors be configured to detect motorcycles.

 

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 544, Transportation Code, by adding Section 544.0075, as follows:

 

Sec. 544.0075. CERTAIN TRAFFIC-ACTUATED ELECTRIC TRAFFIC-CONTROL SIGNALS.  (a) Provides that this section applies only to a traffic-actuated electric traffic-control signal that consists of a traffic-control signal for which the intervals vary according to the demands of vehicular traffic as registered by a detector and that is installed at an intersection.

 

(b) Requires the detector for a traffic-actuated electric traffic-control device to which this section applies (detector), in addition to any other type of vehicle the presence of which the detector may register, to be capable of registering the presence of a motorcycle.

 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 2007.