BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center C.S.S.B. 1081
80R13155 JRJ-F By: Carona
Transportation & Homeland Security
Committee Report (Substituted)
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
In 2003, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration added a new type of vehicle as a subcategory to a school bus. The new vehicle is a multifunction school activity bus (school activity bus) that meets all the safety standards and functions of a school bus, except the school activity bus functions more as a charter vehicle. The school activity bus can travel over 50 miles per hour, does not come with certain traffic control devices, and is not to be used for home-to-school transportation. Statutory change may be necessary to clarify the operation and requirements of this new vehicle. Additionally, the school activity bus may require a different color of paint to ensure that motorists continue to take caution around regular school buses, as regular school buses will still stop and let children off the bus while a school activity bus will not.
C.S.S.B. 1081 defines "multifunction school activity bus" and prohibits this type of bus from being painted National School Bus Glossy Yellow.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 541.201, Transportation Code, by adding Subdivision (11-a) to define "multifunction school activity bus" and amending Subdivision (15) to redefine "school activity bus."
SECTION 2. Amends Section 545.001, Transportation Code, to define "school bus" and to make conforming changes.
SECTION 3. Amends Subchapter L, Chapter 547, Transportation Code, by adding Section 547.7012, as follows:
Sec. 547.7012. REQUIREMENTS FOR MULTIFUNCTION SCHOOL ACTIVITY BUSES. Prohibits a multifunction school activity bus from being painted National School Bus Glossy Yellow.
SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 2007.