BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 1656

By: Israel

Transportation

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties call for dedicated efforts to ensure that certain regional mobility authorities maintain reliable transportation services during times of heavy traffic congestion resulting from road construction and improvement. C.S.H.B. 1656 seeks to address this issue by providing for the use of road shoulders by certain vehicles operated by certain authorities to bypass traffic congestion.

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

C.S.H.B. 1656 amends the Transportation Code to extend the exemption for certain vehicles from the limitation on driving on an improved shoulder to a public transit motor bus of a mass transit entity if the motor bus is bypassing traffic by operating on the shoulder of a highway designated by the Texas Department of Transportation that is under construction and operating within the boundaries of a metropolitan planning organization in which at least five counties are located and the two counties with the largest populations are part of a regional mobility authority.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 1656 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and formatted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

INTRODUCED	HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
SECTION 1.  Section 545.058(c), Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows: (c)  A limitation in this section on driving on an improved shoulder does not apply to: (1)  an authorized emergency vehicle responding to a call; (2)  a police patrol; [or] (3)  a bicycle; or (4)  a public transit motor bus of a mass transit entity operating under Subtitle K, Title 6, if the motor bus is operating: (A)  within the boundaries of a metropolitan planning organization in which: (i)  at least five counties are located; and (ii)  the two counties with the largest populations are part of a regional mobility authority governed by Chapter 370; and (B)  on the shoulder of a highway designated by the Texas Department of Transportation.	SECTION 1.  Section 545.058(c), Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows: (c)  A limitation in this section on driving on an improved shoulder does not apply to: (1)  an authorized emergency vehicle responding to a call; (2)  a police patrol; [or] (3)  a bicycle; or (4)  a public transit motor bus of a mass transit entity operating under Subtitle K, Title 6, if the motor bus is: (A)  operating within the boundaries of a metropolitan planning organization in which: (i)  at least five counties are located; and (ii)  the two counties with the largest populations are part of a regional mobility authority governed by Chapter 370; and (B)  bypassing traffic by operating on the shoulder of a highway designated by the Texas Department of Transportation that is under construction.
SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.	SECTION 2. Same as introduced version.