BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2814

By: Goodwin

Transportation

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Concerns have been raised regarding the high incidence of traffic fatalities on Texas roadways. It has been suggested that strategies such as implementing fine enhancements for traffic violations occurring in construction and maintenance zones have helped to mitigate this problem and that this solution could be applied to other roadways. H.B. 2814 seeks to act on this suggestion by designating certain roadways as highway safety corridors and providing for certain fine enhancements.

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 rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Transportation Commission in SECTION 2 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 2814 amends the Transportation Code to authorize the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to designate as a highway safety corridor a portion of a roadway containing one of the 500 sites with the highest number of traffic fatalities or any other site with a high number of traffic fatalities, as identified by TxDOT. The bill provides for the minimum and maximum fines for certain offenses committed in a highway safety corridor to be twice the amount that would be applicable to the offense if it were committed outside a highway safety corridor.

H.B. 2814 requires TxDOT to erect a sign at each end of a highway safety corridor and at appropriate intermediate sites along the corridor indicating that it is a highway safety corridor and stating "Fines double: highway safety corridor." The bill authorizes TxDOT to include on the same sign the information required for a highway safety corridor and the information required for a traffic safety sign. The bill requires the Texas Transportation Commission by rule to establish a process to identify sites with high numbers of traffic fatalities. The bill specifies that the literature authorized to be distributed to the public by TxDOT under a traffic safety program is literature concerning the traffic safety program and designated highway safety corridors.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019.