BILL ANALYSIS
By: Bailey
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Currently, Sec. 215.004. of the Local Government Code provides authority for municipalities to regulate taxicab transportation services. House Bill No. 2338 would amend Sec. 215.004 to provide specific authority for municipalities to license, control, and regulate limousine transportation services in addition to the existing authority to regulate taxicabs.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the Committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a State officer, department, institution or agency.
SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Would amend Sec. 215.004 of the Local Government Code by adding limousine services to the existing authority of municipalities to regulate taxicab transportation. A limousine is defined as a private passenger vehicle providing transportation services for compensation and designed for carrying no more than 15 passengers. A municipality may by ordinance license, control, and otherwise regulate each limousine operating within or on property owned by the municipality, or on property in which the municipality has an ownership interest. Limousines operating by transporting from those locales and returning to them would be similarly regulated. The ordinance may regulate entry and rates and establish safety and insurance requirements.
215.004 (c) adds limousine services to the recital that in regulating taxicab services under this section, a municipality is performing a governmental function.
SECTION 2. Would set the effective date of the Act as September 1, 2007.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2007