By: Pickett (Senate Sponsor - Watson) H.B. No. 2204

(In the Senate - Received from the House May 6, 2013; May 7, 2013, read first time and referred to Committee on Transportation; May 17, 2013, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 17, 2013, sent to printer.)

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 2204 By: Watson

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the establishment of a variable speed limit pilot program by the Texas Transportation Commission.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. In this Act:

(1) "Commission" means the Texas Transportation Commission.

(2) "Department" means the Texas Department of Transportation.

SECTION 2. VARIABLE SPEED LIMIT PILOT PROGRAM. (a) The commission by rule shall establish and the department shall implement a variable speed limit pilot program to study the effectiveness of temporarily lowering prima facie speed limits to address inclement weather, congestion, road construction, or any other condition that affects the safe and orderly movement of traffic on a roadway. Notice of a speed limit established under the pilot program may be displayed using a stationary or portable changeable message sign, as defined by Section 544.013, Transportation Code.

(b) The commission shall select up to three locations to test the pilot program.

(c) The commission shall inform the Department of Public Safety and any affected local law enforcement agency about the pilot program and the locations that are being used to test the pilot program.

(d) A speed limit that is established under the pilot program:

(1) must be based on an engineering and traffic investigation;

(2) may be effective for all or a designated portion of the highway and may be effective for any period of the day or night, as the department determines necessary; and

(3) is effective only when the speed limit is posted and only if a sign notifying motorists of the change in speed limit is posted not less than 500 feet but not more than 1,000 feet before the point at which the speed limit begins.

SECTION 3. REPORT. Not later than December 31, 2014, the commission shall submit a report to the legislature that includes information about the pilot program, the results of the pilot program, and any recommendations for statutory changes based on the results of the pilot program.

SECTION 4. EXPIRATION. This Act expires February 1, 2015.

SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2013.

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