BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 695

By: Clardy

Transportation

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Concerns have been raised about certain Texas municipalities that have a high volume of commercial motor vehicle traffic but whose police offers are not authorized to enforce certain safety standards for those vehicles. H.B. 695 seeks to address this issue by authorizing certain municipal police officers to apply for certification to enforce commercial motor vehicle safety standards.

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. 695 amends the Transportation Code to include among the police officers eligible to apply

for certification to enforce commercial motor vehicle safety standards a police officer of a municipality with a population between 14,000 and 17,000 that contains three or more numbered U.S. highways and is located in a county that is adjacent to a county with a population of more than 200,000.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019.