BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center H.B. 2715
80R14069 ACP-F By: Castro (Van de Putte)
Transportation & Homeland Security
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Currently, VIA, San Antonio's public transit authority, is in the midst of developing a rapid transit bus system that would have a similar form of payment as those found in European countries, such as the Eurorail. Passengers would buy tickets at kiosks set near the stations. Afterwards, passengers would board the bus or train on the assumption that the passenger prepaid for a ticket prior to boarding. Transit authorities with such a ticketing system usually have enforcement personnel in the area in order to ensure that people are prepaying. VIA outsources the enforcement responsibility to local peace officers because VIA does not have enough personnel to handle this job. However, current law does not provide for peace officers to enforce resolutions passed by the governing board of a transit authority.
H.B. 2715 authorizes a certain metropolitan transit authority to authorize peace officers to enforce a resolution passed by the governing board of the authority.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 451.0611, Transportation Code, by adding Subsection (g) to authorize a public transit authority (authority) created before 1980 in which the principal municipality has a population of less than 1.2 million to allow peace officers of another political subdivision serving under a contract with the authority to enforce a resolution passed by the governing board of the authority under this section (Enforcement of Fairs and Other Charges; Penalties).
SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2007.