BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 917
	By: Craddick (Flores)
	Transportation
	4/25/2019
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Concerns have been raised regarding the enforcement of commercial motor vehicle safety standards in certain areas of the Permian Basin region heavily impacted by the energy industry. It has been suggested that the number of peace officers eligible to enforce these standards in the region is insufficient to maximize the safety of motorists and truck drivers alike. H.B. 917 seeks to address this issue by allowing additional peace officers to become certified to enforce these safety standards.

H.B. 917 amends current law relating to the enforcement of commercial motor vehicle safety standards in certain municipalities and counties.

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. Reenacts Section 644.101(b), Transportation Code, as amended by Chapters 138 (H.B. 1355), 142 (H.B. 1570), and 324 (S.B. 1488), Acts of the 85th Legislature, Regular Session, 2017, and amends it, as follows:

(b) Provides that a police officer of any of the following municipalities is eligible to apply for certification under this section (Certification of Certain Peace Officers):

(1)�(9) makes no changes to these subdivisions;

(10)�(12) makes nonsubstantive changes to these subdivisions;

(12) redesignates an existing subdivision as Subdivision (12) and makes a nonsubstantive change; or

(13) a municipality with a population of less than 50,000 that is located in:

(A) a county that generated $20 million or more in tax revenue collected under Chapters 201 (Gas Production Tax) and 202 (Oil Production Tax), Tax Code, from oil and gas production during the preceding state fiscal year; or

(B) a county that is adjacent to two or more counties described by Paragraph (A).

SECTION 2. Amends Section 644.101(c), Transportation Code, as follows:

(c) Provides that a sheriff or a deputy sheriff of any of the following counties, rather than a sheriff or a deputy sheriff of a county bordering the United Mexican States or of a county with a population of 700,000 or more, is eligible to apply for certification under this section:

(1) a county bordering the United Mexican States;

(2) a county with a population of less than 1,000, part of which is located within 75 miles of an international border; or

(3) a county with a population of 700,000 or more.

SECTION 3. Provides that to the extent of any conflict, this Act prevails over another Act of the 86th Legislature, Regular Session, 2019, relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted codes.

SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 2019.