BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center	S.B. 364
	By: Kolkhorst
	Transportation
	6/7/2017
	Enrolled

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

One of nine children born in Edna, Ronnie Ray Dodds was born on January 8, 1920, and had a passion to serve. After high school, Ronnie worked as a part-time deputy in Jackson County. After serving in the armed forces in World War II, Dodds returned to Texas and worked for a beer distributor. Dodds's passion for public service and his popularity in Lavaca County led him to run for sheriff. In a tight three-way race, Dodds won by two votes to become sheriff of Lavaca County.

 

Sheriff Ronnie Dodds was shot and killed while transporting prisoners from Shiner to Halletsville. During the transport, one of the prisoners was able to gain control of Sheriff Dodds's service revolver and shot Sheriff Dodds. The triggerman was sentenced to death but had his sentence commuted to life in prison.

 

S.B. 364 designates the portion of Alternate United States Highway 90 in Lavaca County from the eastern municipal limits of Shiner to the western municipal limits of Hallettsville as the Sheriff Ronnie Dodds Memorial Highway.

 

S.B. 364 amends current law relating to the designation of a portion of Alternate United States Highway 90 in Lavaca County as the Sheriff Ronnie Dodds Memorial Highway.

 

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 B, Chapter 225, Transportation Code, by adding Section 225.123, as follows:

 

Sec. 225.123. SHERIFF RONNIE DODDS MEMORIAL HIGHWAY. (a) Provides that the portion of Alternate United States Highway 90 in Lavaca County from the eastern municipal limits of Shiner to the western municipal limits of Hallettsville is designated as the Sheriff Ronnie Dodds Memorial Highway.

 

(b) Requires the Texas Department of Transportation, subject to Section 225.021(c) (relating to funding the design, construction, or erection of a marker), to design and construct markers indicating the designation as the Sheriff Ronnie Dodds Memorial Highway and any other appropriate information and erect a marker at each end of and at appropriate intermediate sites along the highway.

 

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2017.