BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1136

By: Israel

Transportation

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

According to recent studies, three Texas cities rank among the most dangerous cities in the country for pedestrians. Interested parties have found that usable networks of sidewalks and bicycle lanes encourage people to incorporate routine physical activity into their daily lives, lowering risks of obesity and improving overall health. Active transportation infrastructures also foster economic health by creating dynamic communities that attract business and increase property values. H.B. 1136 seeks to address these issues by providing Texas with the means to obtain necessary information regarding the prevention of accidents involving pedestrians or cyclists through certain infrastructure additions.

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. 1136 amends the Transportation Code to create the Transportation Safety and Access Advisory Committee. The bill sets out the composition of the committee and exempts the committee from Government Code provisions governing the composition of state agency advisory committees. The bill requires the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), not later than December 1, 2015, to ensure that the representatives of the committee are appointed and to call the first meeting of the committee. The bill requires the committee to study methods, including infrastructure additions such as sidewalks and bicycle lanes, TxDOT can use to improve the safety and access of all users of state or federally funded transportation projects. The bill requires the committee to create and submit to TxDOT a report on those methods not later than September 1, 2016. The bill's provisions expire and the advisory committee is abolished on January 1, 2017.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2015.