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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the designation of highway safety corridors; increasing |
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a fine. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 201.905(b), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(b) A program under this section may also include literature |
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distributed to the public by the department concerning: |
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(1) the program established under this section; and |
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(2) highway safety corridors designated under Section |
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201.9051. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter K, Chapter 201, Transportation Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 201.9051 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 201.9051. HIGHWAY SAFETY CORRIDOR. (a) The |
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department shall designate as a highway safety corridor a portion |
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of a roadway containing: |
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(1) a site described by Section 201.905, regardless of |
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whether the department has established the program under that |
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section; or |
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(2) a site with a high number of traffic fatalities, as |
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identified by the governing body of the municipality or county in |
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whose jurisdiction the site is located. |
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(b) The department shall erect a sign at each end of the |
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highway safety corridor and at appropriate intermediate sites along |
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the corridor: |
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(1) indicating that it is a highway safety corridor; |
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and |
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(2) stating "Fines double: highway safety corridor." |
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(c) The department may include on the same sign the |
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information required for: |
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(1) a highway safety corridor under this section; and |
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(2) a traffic safety sign under Section 201.905(a). |
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(d) The commission by rule shall establish processes for the |
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governing body of a municipality or county to: |
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(1) identify sites with high numbers of traffic |
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fatalities; and |
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(2) inform the department of sites identified under |
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Subdivision (1) for designation as a highway safety corridor. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter D, Chapter 542, Transportation Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 542.4046 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 542.4046. FINE FOR OFFENSE IN HIGHWAY SAFETY CORRIDOR. |
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(a) In this section, "highway safety corridor" means a portion of a |
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roadway designated by the department in accordance with Section |
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201.9051. |
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(b) If an offense under this subtitle, other than an offense |
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under Chapter 548 or 552 or Section 545.412 or 545.413, is committed |
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in a highway safety corridor: |
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(1) the minimum fine applicable to the offense is |
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twice the minimum fine that would be applicable to the offense if it |
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were committed outside a highway safety corridor; and |
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(2) the maximum fine applicable to the offense is |
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twice the maximum fine that would be applicable to the offense if it |
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were committed outside a highway safety corridor. |
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SECTION 4. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the Texas Department of Transportation by rule shall |
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establish the processes required by Section 201.9051(d), |
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Transportation Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 5. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is |
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covered by the law in effect immediately before the effective date |
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of this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that |
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purpose. For purposes of this section, an offense was committed |
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before the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense |
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was committed before that date. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |