BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1355

By: Wray

Transportation

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

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 seeks to address this issue by including officers of certain police departments among the police officers eligible to apply for certification to enforce commercial motor vehicle standards.

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. 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.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.