| TO: | Honorable Tommy Williams, Chair, Senate Committee on Transportation & Homeland Security |
| FROM: | John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | SB1095 by Rodriguez (Relating to the posting of signs in school crossing zones regarding the prohibited use of a wireless communication device while operating a motor vehicle.), As Introduced |
Current law requires a municipality, county, or other political subdivision to post a sign at each school crossing zone informing vehicle operators that the use of a wireless communication device is prohibited in the school zone. The bill would amend the Transportation Code to exempt a municipality, county, or other political subdivision that prohibits the use of a wireless communication device while operating a motor vehicle within its entire jurisdiction from the sign requirement.
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) reported it posts signs related to the prohibition of the use of wireless communication devices in a school zone on the state highway system in cities with a population of less than 50,000 and in rural areas. TxDOT anticipates that any fiscal impact resulting from the bill would not be significant.
There could be a savings to a political subdivision that currently has a jurisdiction-wide ban on the use of wireless communication devices that would not be required to post signs. According to the analysis by TxDOT, larger cities, such as Austin and El Paso that currently have existing city-wide bans could experience a more significant savings from the provisions of the bill, but the overall fiscal impact cannot be estimated.
| Source Agencies: | 405 Department of Public Safety, 601 Department of Transportation
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| LBB Staff: | JOB, TP, MM, KJG, JI
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