BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 745

By: Bohac

Transportation

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

There are concerns that a property owners' association does not have the authority to install and maintain solar-powered LED stop signs. A significant number of property owners' association members in Texas have families and have expressed interest in securing the safety of children, pedestrians, and cyclists in their communities. Providing these members with the option to install and maintain such stop signs could increase awareness and alert motorists using thoroughfares in the association's jurisdiction to these safety concerns. H.B. 745 seeks to give a property owners' association this additional safety tool.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

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

H.B. 745 amends the Transportation Code to authorize a property owners' association to install a solar-powered light-emitting diode (LED) stop sign on a road, highway, or street in the association's jurisdiction if the association receives the consent of the governing body of the political subdivision that maintains the road, highway, or street for the placement of the sign and the association pays for the installation of the sign. The bill establishes that a property owners' association that installs such a sign is responsible for the maintenance of the sign. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2015.