87R2963 BEE-F
By: Goodwin H.B. No. 795
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the designation of highway safety corridors; increasing
a fine.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 201.905(b), Transportation Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(b) A program under this section may also include literature
distributed to the public by the department concerning:
(1) the program established under this section; and
(2) highway safety corridors designated under Section
201.9051.
SECTION 2. Subchapter K, Chapter 201, Transportation Code,
is amended by adding Section 201.9051 to read as follows:
Sec. 201.9051. HIGHWAY SAFETY CORRIDOR. (a) The
department shall designate as a highway safety corridor a portion
of a roadway containing:
(1) a site described by Section 201.905, regardless of
whether the department has established the program under that
section; or
(2) a site with a high number of traffic fatalities, as
identified by the governing body of the municipality or county in
whose jurisdiction the site is located.
(b) The department shall erect a sign at each end of the
highway safety 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 on the same sign the
information required for:
(1) a highway safety corridor under this section; and
(2) a traffic safety sign under Section 201.905(a).
(d) The commission by rule shall establish processes for the
governing body of a municipality or county to:
(1) identify sites with high numbers of traffic
fatalities; and
(2) inform the department of sites identified under
Subdivision (1) for designation as a highway safety corridor.
SECTION 3. Subchapter D, Chapter 542, Transportation Code,
is amended by adding Section 542.4046 to read as follows:
Sec. 542.4046. FINE FOR OFFENSE IN HIGHWAY SAFETY CORRIDOR.
(a) In this section, "highway safety corridor" means a portion of a
roadway designated by the department in accordance with Section
201.9051.
(b) 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.
SECTION 4. As soon as practicable after the effective date
of this Act, the Texas Department of Transportation by rule shall
establish the processes required by Section 201.9051(d),
Transportation Code, as added by this Act.
SECTION 5. 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 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.