BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1611

By: VanDeaver

Homeland Security & Public Safety

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

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 seeks to address 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.

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. 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.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.