AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Commissioned peace officers defined in the Code of Criminal Procedure, Articles 2.12 (1)-(4), (8), and (22), are able to operate their sirens and lights when escorting or directing traffic under current law.
S.B. 545 allows commissioned peace officers that are Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport police to operate their sirens and lights when facilitating the movement of a funeral, an oversized or hazardous load, or other traffic disruption for public safety purposes.
As proposed, S.B. 545 amends current law relating to the peace officers authorized to operate an authorized emergency service vehicle used to conduct a police escort.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 546.002(a), Transportation Code, providing that "police escort" means facilitating the movement of a funeral, oversized or hazardous load, or other traffic disruption for public safety purposes by a peace officer described by Articles 2.12(1) (relating to sheriffs, their deputies, and those reserve deputies who hold a permanent peace officer license), (2) (relating to constables, deputy constables, and those reserve deputy constables who hold a permanent peace officer license), (3) (relating to marshals or police officers of an incorporated city, town, or village), (4) (relating to rangers and officers commissioned by the Public Safety Commission and the director of the Department of Public Safety), (8) (relating to officers commissioned under Section 37.081, Education Code, or Subchapter E, Chapter 51, Education Code), (12) (relating to airport security personnel commissioned as peace officers by the governing body of any political subdivision of this state), and (22) (relating to officers commissioned by the governing body of a metropolitan rapid transit authority), Code of Criminal Procedure.
SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2013.