BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 4846

By: Davis

Transportation

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Many individuals with disabilities rely on public transportation as their primary mode of travel, including to and from work, doctor's appointments, groceries, and other daily activities. The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that people with disabilities have equal access to public transportation. This means that public transportation providers cannot refuse to provide individuals with transportation because they have a disability. H.B. 4846 seeks to expand such consideration to individuals engaged in workforce education and training services through the Texas Workforce Commission and Health and Human Services Commission and to provide wider access to discounted bus passes and public transportation in general. The legislation codifies a current Texas Department of Transportation rule that incentivizes metropolitan planning organizations to consider individuals with disabilities in their plans in order to receive state and federal funding.

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. 4846 amends the Transportation Code to require each metropolitan planning organization, in developing a 10-year transportation plan under the Unified Transportation Program, to consider the transportation needs of individuals who receive services from:

·         the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC); or

·         the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC).

The bill requires a metropolitan planning organization that requests financial assistance from the Texas Transportation Commission for a project in the statewide transportation plan to submit evidence to the commission that transportation providers within the boundaries of the planning organization have considered meeting the transportation needs of individuals who receive services from HHSC or TWC, including by adjusting the providers' fixed routes to address the needs of those individuals.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023.