Bill Text: TX SB1919 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Relating to the establishment of a variable speed limit pilot program by the Texas Transportation Commission.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-05-11 - Not again placed on intent calendar [SB1919 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-SB1919-Comm_Sub.html
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.) | ||
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1919 | By: Huffines |
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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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