BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 1611
85R5268 JAM-D	By: VanDeaver (Hughes)
	Transportation
	5/18/2017
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Observers have raised concerns about the frequency with which drivers approaching an accident on a highway at a high rate of speed cause fender benders or other serious crashes due to lack of awareness of the occurrence of the original accident. H.B. 1611 addresses this issue by providing for the development of best practices for the use of safety equipment by certain emergency vehicles responding to an incident on a highway and for related training materials for the vehicle operators.

H.B. 1611 amends the Transportation Code to require the Department of Public Safety to develop best practices for the use of road flares, fusees, emergency reflectors, or other safety equipment by a stationary authorized emergency vehicle responding to an incident on a highway and to provide training materials regarding those best practices to operators of authorized emergency vehicles.

H.B. 1611 amends current law relating to the use of warning devices by stationary authorized emergency vehicles.

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 A, Chapter 546, Transportation Code, by adding Section 546.008, as follows:

Sec. 546.008. USE OF WARNING DEVICES BY STATIONARY AUTHORIZED EMERGENCY VEHICLES. Requires the Texas Department of Public Safety to:

(1) develop best practices for the use of road flares, fusees, emergency reflectors, or other safety equipment by a stationary authorized emergency vehicle responding to an incident on a highway; and

(2) provide training materials regarding the information developed under Subdivision (1) to operators of authorized emergency vehicles.

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2017.

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