BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 130
	By: Rodriguez; Guillen (Hinojosa)
	Transportation
	5/17/2021
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Local leaders with independent school districts contend that districts spend a significant amount of resources on toll fees every year that represents a waste of taxpayer resources which would be better spent on providing students with a quality education. Some Texas school districts pay as much as tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in toll fees annually.

H.B. 130 seeks to add a new Section 372.059 to the Transportation Code specifying that school buses that are exempt from registration fees under Section 502.453 are exempt from paying a toll for use of a toll project.

H.B. 130 amends current law relating to a highway toll exemption for public school buses.

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 372, Transportation Code, by adding Section 372.059, as follows:

Sec. 372.059.  PUBLIC SCHOOL BUSES.� Prohibits a toll project entity from requiring a school bus exempt from registration fees under Section 502.453 (Government-Owned Vehicles; Public School Buses; Fire-Fighting Vehicles; County Marine Law Enforcement Vehicles; U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Vehicles) to pay a toll for use of a toll project.

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 2021.