81R3969 JAM-F
By: Ogden S.B. No. 558
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the designation of highway safety corridors; providing
penalties.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. The heading to Section 201.905, Transportation
Code, is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 201.905. TRAFFIC SAFETY SIGNS; SAFETY CORRIDOR.
SECTION 2. Section 201.905, Transportation Code, is amended
by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsections (c) and (d) to
read as follows:
(b) The department may designate a portion of a roadway
containing a site described in Subsection (a) as a highway safety
corridor. The department shall erect a sign at each end of the
corridor and at appropriate intermediate sites along the corridor:
(1) indicating that it is a highway safety corridor;
and
(2) stating "Fines double: highway safety corridor."
(c) The department may include the information described in
Subsections (a) and (b) on the same sign.
(d) A program under this section may also include literature
distributed to the public by the department.
SECTION 3. Subchapter D, Chapter 542, Transportation Code,
is amended by adding Section 542.4045 to read as follows:
Sec. 542.4045. FINE FOR OFFENSE IN HIGHWAY SAFETY
CORRIDOR. (a) If an offense under this subtitle, other than an
offense under Chapter 548 or 552 or Section 545.412 or 545.413, is
committed in a highway safety corridor:
(1) the minimum fine applicable to the offense is
twice the minimum fine that would be applicable to the offense if it
were committed outside a highway safety corridor; and
(2) the maximum fine applicable to the offense is
twice the maximum fine that would be applicable to the offense if it
were committed outside a highway safety corridor.
(b) In this section, "highway safety corridor" has the
meaning assigned by Section 201.905.
SECTION 4. The change in law made by this Act applies only
to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act.
An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is
covered by the law in effect immediately before the effective date
of this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that
purpose. For purposes of this section, an offense was committed
before the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense
was committed before that date.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.