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BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

 

C.S.H.B. 2683

By: Hinojosa, Gina

Public Education

Committee Report (Substituted)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

According to interested parties, a number of public school districts pay toll charges incurred by buses in the daily transport of students and that an exemption would be similar to other exemptions afforded to school buses and could leave funds available for other purposes.     C.S.H.B. 2683 seeks to address this issue by prohibiting a regional mobility authority from requiring certain public school buses to pay a toll.

 

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. 2683 amends the Transportation Code to prohibit a regional mobility authority from requiring a school bus exempt from vehicle registration fees to pay a toll for use of an authority toll project. The bill expressly does not affect the ability of an authority to adopt policies or rules regarding the use of the authority's facilities, including policies or rules prohibiting the use of the authority's facilities by vehicles unable to maintain minimum designated travel speeds.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

September 1, 2017.

 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

 

While C.S.H.B. 2683 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.  Subchapter B, Chapter 372, Transportation Code, is amended by adding Section 372.054 to read as follows:

Sec. 372.054.  PUBLIC SCHOOL BUSES.  A toll project entity may not require a school bus exempt from registration fees under Section 502.453 to pay a toll for use of a toll project.

 

SECTION 1.  Subchapter E, Chapter 370, Transportation Code, is amended by adding Section 370.194 to read as follows:

Sec. 370.194.  USE OF TOLL PROJECTS BY PUBLIC SCHOOL BUSES.  (a)  An authority may not require a school bus exempt from registration fees under Section 502.453 to pay a toll for use of an authority toll project.

(b)  This section does not affect the ability of an authority to adopt policies or rules regarding the use of the authority's facilities, including policies or rules prohibiting the use of the authority's facilities by vehicles unable to maintain minimum designated travel speeds.

SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.

SECTION 2. Same as introduced version.