By: Watson S.B. No. 1919
(In the Senate - Filed March 13, 2015; March 25, 2015, read
first time and referred to Committee on Transportation;
April 30, 2015, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 3; April 30, 2015,
sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1919 By: Huffines
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the establishment of a variable speed limit pilot
program by the Texas Transportation Commission.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. In this Act:
(1) "Commission" means the Texas Transportation
Commission.
(2) "Department" means the Texas Department of
Transportation.
SECTION 2. VARIABLE SPEED LIMIT PILOT PROGRAM. (a) The
commission by rule shall establish and the department shall
implement a variable speed limit pilot program to study the
effectiveness of temporarily lowering prima facie speed limits to
address inclement weather, congestion, road construction, or any
other condition that affects the safe and orderly movement of
traffic on a roadway. Notice of a speed limit established under the
pilot program may be displayed using a stationary or portable
changeable message sign, as defined by Section 544.013,
Transportation Code.
(b) The commission shall select up to 10 locations to test
the pilot program.
(c) The commission shall inform the Department of Public
Safety and any affected local law enforcement agency about the
pilot program and the locations that are being used to test the
pilot program.
(d) A speed limit that is established under the pilot
program:
(1) must be based on an engineering and traffic
investigation;
(2) may be effective for all or a designated portion of
the highway and may be effective for any period of the day or night,
as the department determines necessary; and
(3) is effective only when the speed limit is posted
and only if a sign notifying motorists of the change in speed limit
is posted not less than 500 feet but not more than 1,000 feet before
the point at which the speed limit begins.
SECTION 3. REPORT. Not later than December 31, 2016, the
commission shall submit a report to the legislature that includes
information about the pilot program, the results of the pilot
program, and any recommendations for statutory changes based on the
results of the pilot program.
SECTION 4. EXPIRATION. This Act expires February 1, 2017.
SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect
immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members
elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas
Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for
immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
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