BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 3031

By: Fletcher

Transportation

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Under current law, a rapid transit authority confirmed before July 1, 1985, in which the principal municipality has a population of less than 850,000 may employ persons to serve as fare enforcement officers to conduct fare inspections and issue citations to individuals who do not show proof of payment to use bus or rail services. Interested parties contend that cities with populations that exceed this amount should also have this authority. C.S.H.B. 3031 seeks to allow more rapid transit authorities to employ fare enforcement officers.

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

C.S.H.B. 3031 amends the Transportation Code, in a provision authorizing a rapid transit authority to employ persons to serve as fare enforcement officers to enforce the payment of fares for use of the public transportation system by specified measures, to remove the conditions limiting application of the provision to an authority confirmed before July 1, 1985, in which the principal municipality has a population of less than 850,000. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2013.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 3031 differs from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways by amending the caption and conforming to certain bill drafting conventions.