BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 195
80R3039 JD-D By: Jackson, Mike
Transportation & Homeland Security
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Section 542.202(b)(3), Transportation Code, defines "regulating" as criminal, civil, and administrative enforcement against a person, including the owner or operator of a motor vehicle, in accordance with a state law or a municipal ordinance.
Prior to a change in the Transportation Code during the 78th Legislature, motorists who ran red lights could only be ticketed with criminal citations, and those tickets were required to be served on the offender in person. The change enabled municipalities and the State of Texas to ticket motorists who ran red lights with civil rather than criminal citations that do not have to be served on the offender in person. This has allowed municipalities and the State of Texas to install cameras at intersections to photograph offenders who disobey traffic laws and to subsequently ticket those offenders.
As proposed, S.B. 195 repeals Section 542.202(b)(3), Transportation Code, thus prohibiting the use of "red light cameras."
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Repealer: Section 542.202(b)(3) (defining "regulating"), Transportation Code.
SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2007.