BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2985

By: Phillips

Transportation

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Texas has experienced several fatal passenger bus accidents, including an accident in August, 2008 when a commercial passenger bus carrying members of the Vietnamese Martyrs Church of Houston crashed in Sherman, Texas, killing 17 people. The investigation into the Sherman accident raised several issues about the registration and operation of commercial passenger busses, including the ability of a company to continue intrastate operations after the company's federal registration to operate interstate has been revoked by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

H.B. 2985 requires the Texas Department of Transportation to revoke or deny a Texas motor carrier registration if the federal registration has been revoked, denied, suspended, or otherwise terminated.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 2985 amends the Transportation Code to require the Texas Department of Transportation to revoke or deny a motor carrier registration issued by the department to a for-hire motor carrier of passengers if the motor carrier is required to register with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the federal registration is denied, revoked, suspended, or otherwise terminated. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2009.