BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 3672

By: Canales

Transportation

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

C.S.H.B. 3672 seeks to honor the following peace officers who died while on duty by designating portions of the state highway system as memorial highways in their names:

· Trooper Russell Lynn Boyd, who was shot and killed when stopping a subject for a traffic violation;

· Ranger Stanley K. Guffey, who was shot and killed while trying to rescue a kidnapped two-year-old girl;

· Trooper Milton Alexander, who died of injuries when his patrol car was rammed by a stolen vehicle;

· Trooper Ernesto Alanis, who was killed after being struck by a drunk driver during a traffic stop;

· Trooper Hollis S. Lacy, who was killed in an automobile accident while in pursuit of a traffic violator;

· Trooper Howard Jordan, who was weighing a truck when he was struck and killed by another passing vehicle;

· Trooper William Kohlleppel, who was killed in the line of duty in 1985;

· Trooper Mark Frederick, who was killed in the line of duty in 1976; and

· Patrolman Billy D. Howry, who was killed in the line of duty in 1972.

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

C.S.H.B. 3672 amends the Transportation Code to designate portions of the state highway system, in addition to any other designations, as memorial highways for certain deceased peace officers as follows:

· State Highway 159 in the municipal limits of Hempstead as the Trooper Russell Lynn Boyd Memorial Highway;

· U.S. Highway 87 in the municipal limits of Brady as the Ranger Stanley K. Guffey Memorial Highway;

· Interstate Highway 35 in the municipal limits of Hillsboro as the Trooper Milton Alexander Memorial Highway;

· Interstate Highway 2 in the municipal limits of McAllen as the Trooper Ernesto Alanis Memorial Highway;

· U.S. Highway 377 in the municipal limits of Denton as the Trooper Hollis S. Lacy Memorial Highway;

· U.S. Highway 67 in the municipal limits of Texarkana as the Trooper Howard Jordan Memorial Highway;

· eastbound Interstate Highway 10 in Austin County between mile marker 712 and mile marker 726 as the Trooper Mark Frederick Memorial Highway;

· westbound Interstate Highway 10 in Austin County between mile marker 712 and mile marker 726 as the Trooper William Kohlleppel Memorial Highway; and

· Interstate Highway 35 in Williamson County between mile marker 268 and mile marker 272 as the Patrolman Billy D. Howry Memorial Highway.

C.S.H.B. 3672 requires the Texas Department of Transportation, subject to a grant or donation of funds, to design and construct markers indicating each designation and any other appropriate information and to erect a marker at each end of a designated highway and at appropriate intermediate sites along the highway.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023.

COMPARISON OF INTRODUCED AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 3672 may differ from the introduced in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

The substitute includes provisions absent from the introduced designating the following memorial highways:

· Trooper Mark Frederick Memorial Highway;

· Trooper William Kohlleppel Memorial Highway; and

· Patrolman Billy D. Howry Memorial Highway.

The substitute also includes specifications absent from the introduced that the highway designations made by the bill are in addition to any other designation.