HBA-NLM, ALS C.S.H.B. 1744 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 1744
By: Noriega
Transportation
3/24/1999
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, a school bus may be equipped with a rooftop warning lamp
which may only be used when the bus is stopped or stopping to load or
unload students during inclement weather.  The purpose of this bill is to
make school buses more visible.  C.S.H.B. 1744 eliminates the provision
that rooftop warning lights on a school bus may operate only during
inclement weather when the bus is stopping to load or unload students. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 547.701(b), Transportation Code, to delete
existing Paragraph (B) which provides that the rooftop warning lights of a
school bus may only be operated during inclement weather when the bus is
stopped to load or unload students.  Redesignates text from Paragraph (A)
to Subdivision (1).  Makes a nonsubstantive change. 

SECTION 2.Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 3.Emergency clause. 


COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 1744 modifies the original in SECTION 1 (Section 547.701(b),
Transportation Code) by deleting the entire text of Paragraph (B), which
provides that the rooftop warning lights of a school bus may only be
operated during inclement weather when the bus is stopped to load or unload
students, rather than deleting only the qualification that such lights may
be used only when the bus is stopping or is stopped to load or unload
students.  This bill also redesignates text from Paragraph (A) to
Subdivision (1) and makes a nonsubstantive change.