AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
The Purple Heart Trail is a symbolic trail that runs through all 50 states to honor those who have been killed or wounded in combat while serving in the United States armed forces. In current law, Section 225.0225, Transportation Code, establishes the Texas portion of the national Purple Heart Trail on the Texas part of Interstate Highway 35. The signs designating the Purple Heart Trail on the highway are located at each end of the highway and intermediately no more than 100 miles apart. Furthermore, the money used to erect these signs came from donations, meaning there is no fiscal impact to the state.
This bill would add to the Purple Heart Trail the Texas part of Interstate Highway 40, the part of Interstate Highway 37 from I-35 to U.S. Highway 77, the part of U.S. Highway 77 from I-37 to State Highway 100, State Highway 100, and Park Road 100, and keep the Texas part of Interstate Highway 35. The roads added to the Purple Heart Trail would extend the Purple Heart Trail from San Antonio to South Padre Island and connect the trail from New Mexico to Oklahoma. Moreover, instead of setting up signs at each end of the highway and then intermediately no more than 100 miles apart between each one, this bill requires the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to erect markers where TxDOT determines they are appropriate.
As proposed, S.B. 1311 amends current law relating to the designation of certain highways as part of the Purple Heart Trail.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Sections 225.0225(a) and (c), Transportation Code, as follows:
(a) Provides that the following highways are designated as, rather than the part of Interstate Highway 35 located in Texas is, the Texas portion of the national Purple Heart Trail:
(1) the part of Interstate Highway 35 located in Texas;
(2) the part of Interstate Highway 40 located in Texas;
(3) the part of Interstate Highway 37 from Interstate Highway 35 to U.S. Highway 77;
(4) the part of U.S. Highway 77 from Interstate Highway 37 to State Highway 100;
(5) State Highway 100; and
(6) Park Road 100.
(d) Requires the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to erect a marker at locations along the trail, rather than at each end of the highway and at intermediate sites along the highway, that TxDOT determines are appropriate. Deletes existing text prohibiting the intermediate sites from being father apart than 100 miles.
SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2011.