BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 1355
85R7607 JRR-D	By: Wray (Birdwell)
	Transportation
	5/15/2017
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Interested parties contend that current law hinders some police departments from enforcing commercial motor vehicle safety standards, which complicates local government efforts to maintain roadways. H.B. 1355 addresses this issue by including officers of certain police departments among the police officers eligible to apply for certification to enforce commercial motor vehicle standards.

H.B. 1355 amends the Transportation Code to include among the peace officers eligible to apply for certification to enforce commercial motor vehicle safety standards a police officer of a municipality with a population between 18,000 and 18,500 that is located entirely in a county that has a population of less than 200,000, is adjacent to two counties that each have a population of more than 1.2 million, and contains two highways that are part of the national system of interstate and defense highways.

H.B. 1355 amends current law relating to the enforcement of commercial motor vehicle safety standards in certain municipalities.

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. Reenacts and amends Section 644.101(b), Transportation Code, as amended by Chapters 278 (H.B. 716) and 1130 (S.B. 58), Acts of the 84th Legislature, Regular Session, 2015, as follows:

(b) Provides that a police officer of any of certain municipalities is eligible to apply for certification under this section (Certification of Certain Peace Officers), including a municipality with a population between 18,000 and 18,500 that is located entirely in a county that has a population of less than 200,000, is adjacent to two counties that each have a population of more than 1.2 million, and contains two highways that are part of the national system of interstate and defense highways.

SECTION 2. Provides that, to the extent of any conflict, this Act prevails over another Act of the 85th Legislature, Regular Session, 2017, relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted codes.

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2017.