BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 4465

By: Gallego

Culture, Recreation & Tourism

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Many other states have welcome signs to designate the state boundary on highways entering the state. Current Texas law mandates that similar welcome signs be placed on the borders of Texas to welcome people driving into the state. There is no current Texas law that requires the Department of Transportation to erect a Texas flag at an official international port-of-entry.

H.B. 4465 requires the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to erect a "Welcome to Texas" sign to designate the state boundary on an interstate, United States, or state highway entering Texas, authorizes the inclusion of a phrase acknowledging the presidencies of Texans on a "Welcome to Texas" sign, and requires TxDOT to erect and maintain a Texas flag on an interstate, United States, or state highway that originates at an official port-of-entry along an international border. The bill requires the Texas flag to be at least as large as any foreign flag flown at the foreign port-of-entry operating on the other side of the border.

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. 4465 amends the Transportation Code to require the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to erect a "Welcome to Texas" sign to designate the state boundary on an interstate, United States, or state highway entering Texas. The bill requires such a sign to include a depiction of the state flag and the phrase "Drive Friendly - The Texas Way." The bill authorizes such a sign to include the phrase "Welcome to Texas - Proud Home of Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush." The bill requires such a sign, if the president of the United States is a resident of Texas, to include the phrase "Welcome to Texas - Proud Home of President [insert name of the president]."

H.B. 4465 requires TxDOT to erect and maintain a Texas Flag to designate the state boundary at an appropriate location at or near each interstate, United States, or state highway originating at an official port-of-entry along an international border and requires the flag to be visible from the international port of entry and equal in size to or larger than the flag of any foreign nation flown at the port-of-entry operating on the other side of the international border. The bill authorizes TxDOT to contract with any governmental or private entity for the care and maintenance of such a flag.

H.B. 4465 repeals Chapter 201.617, Transportation code, as added by Acts, 2005, 79th Legislature, and amended by Acts, 2007, 80th Legislature.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2010.