BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 194

By: West

County Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

As a result of the fires in Bastrop and Travis Counties in 2011, it became evident that emergency vehicles and first responders were inhibited from accessing residential subdivisions during evacuations resulting from fires or other natural disasters due to the subdivision having only one entrance and exit road. S.B. 194 seeks to alleviate this problem by authorizing counties to require more than one entrance for large subdivisions as part of their existing platting authority.

Under S.B. 194, the commissioners court with jurisdiction over a residential subdivision containing 1,000 or more lots is required to adopt infrastructure standards requiring a minimum of two means for ingress and egress by emergency vehicles and first responders in new residential subdivisions.

S.B. 194 amends current law relating to ingress and egress for access by emergency vehicles and for use during evacuations in certain new residential subdivisions.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter A, Chapter 232, Local Government Code, by adding Section 232.0034, as follows:

Sec. 232.0034. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: ACCESS BY EMERGENCY VEHICLES. (a) Provides that this section applies only to a residential subdivision that is subdivided into 1,000 or more lots in the unincorporated area of a county.

(b) Requires the commissioners court to adopt infrastructure standards requiring at least two means of ingress and egress in the subdivision to provide for sufficient routes of travel for use by emergency vehicles and for use during evacuations resulting from fire or other natural disasters.

(c) Provides that this section does not limit the authority of a commissioner's court under other existing laws, as applicable, to adopt infrastructure standards that are more stringent than standards required by this section.

 SECTION 2. Makes application of this Act prospective..

EFFECTIVE DATE

 Effective date: September 1, 2013.