BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center

H.B. 481

84R2614 JXC-F

By: Stephenson et al. (Kolhkorst)

 

Transportation

 

5/6/2015

 

Engrossed

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Interested parties have pointed to the growing desire to recognize Master Sergeant Mike C. Peņa for his selfless service in the Korean War. The steadfast bravery exhibited by Sergeant Peņa in sacrificing his life to save retreating members of his platoon deserves an acknowledgement as grand as his gesture. H.B. 481 seeks to recognize Sergeant Peņa's heroism with a memorial highway designation.

 

H.B. 481 amends the Transportation Code to designate the portion of Farm-to-Market Road 1301 in Wharton County between its intersection with the Matagorda County line and Richmond Road as the Master Sergeant Mike C. Peņa Memorial Highway, in addition to any other designation. The bill requires the Texas Department of Transportation, subject to a grant or donation of funds, to design and construct markers indicating the designation as the Master Sergeant Mike C. Peņa Memorial Highway and any other appropriate information and to erect a marker at each end of the highway and at appropriate intermediate sites along the highway.

 

H.B. 481 amends current law relating to the designation of a segment of Farm-to-Market Road 1301 in Wharton County as the Master Sergeant Mike C. Peņa Memorial Highway.

 

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 Subchapter B, Chapter 225, Transportation Code, by adding Section 225.103, as follows:

 

Sec. 225.103. MASTER SERGEANT MIKE C. PEŅA MEMORIAL HIGHWAY. (a) Provides that the portion of Farm-to-Market Road 1301 in Wharton County between its intersection with the Matagorda County line and Richmond Road is designated as the Master Sergeant Mike C. Peņa Memorial Highway. Provides that the designation is in addition to any other designation.

 

(b) Requires the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), subject to Section 225.021(c) (prohibiting TxDOT from designing, constructing, or erecting a marker under this subchapter unless a grant or donation of funds is made to TxDOT to cover the cost of the design, construction, and erection of the marker), to:

 

(1) design and construct markers indicating the designation as the Master Sergeant Mike C. Peņa Memorial Highway and any other appropriate information; and

 

(2) erect a marker at each end of the highway and at appropriate intermediate sites along the highway.

 

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2015.