Honorable Robert Nichols, Chair, Senate Committee on Transportation
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB88 by Hall (Relating to the use of photographic traffic signal enforcement systems.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
The repeal of photographic traffic enforcement systems could result in a revenue loss of up to ($32,376,000) in General Revenue-Dedicated 5111 during the 2018-19 biennium, based on the amount in the 2018-19 Biennial Revenue Estimate. However, due to the provision that local authorities could continue to operate these systems until their contracts expire, not all of the revenue loss is likely to occur during the upcoming biennium.
The bill would amend the Transportation, Government, Health and Safety, and Local Government Codes relating to the use of photographic traffic enforcement systems. The bill would prohibit local governments or entities from issuing civil or criminal charges or citations for an offense or violation produced by a photographic traffic enforcement system. The bill exempts photographic enforcement used on toll roads.
The bill would go into immediate effect if it receives a two-thirds majority vote in both chambers; otherwise, the bill would go into effect September 1, 2017.
Currently 50 percent of fines collected by photographic traffic enforcement systems are deposited into GR Account 5111- Designated Trauma Facility and EMS, and the remaining is used by local authorities to fund traffic safety programs. The estimated fiscal impact is based on the 2018-19 Biennial Revenue Estimate.
The bill allows local authorities to operate systems until the expiration of current contracts, and therefore not all of the revenue loss is likely to occur in the current biennium.
Local Government Impact
The repeal of photographic traffic enforcement systems could result in a revenue loss of up to $32,376,000 to units of local government during the 2018-19 biennium. However, due to the provision that local authorities could continue to operate these systems until their contracts expire, not all of the revenue loss may occur during the upcoming biennium. Revenue loss to each affected local government entity would vary depending on the number of systems in place and the number of traffic violations enforced through the photographic system. According to the Texas Association of Counties (TAC), the revenue loss would not have a significant fiscal impact on units of local government.
Source Agencies:
212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 302 Office of the Attorney General, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 405 Department of Public Safety, 537 State Health Services, Department of, 601 Department of Transportation, 701 Texas Education Agency