HBA-ATS C.S.H.B. 2995 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 2995
By: Culberson
Transportation
4/29/1999
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current law does not clearly define the actions that constitute the offense
of stopping in an intersection.  C.S.H.B. 2995 prohibits an operator of a
motor vehicle from entering an intersection unless the operator can expect
to exit the intersection without halting and impeding cross traffic.  In
addition, this bill includes an inoperative traffic signal that controls an
intersection of various types of streets or roadways among the conditions
that require an operator of a motor vehicle to stop, yield, and grant
immediate use of the intersection to another vehicle. 

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 Subchapter G, Chapter 545, Transportation Code, by
adding Section 545.3021, to prohibit an operator of a motor vehicle from
entering an intersection unless the operator can expect to exit the
intersection without halting and impeding cross traffic. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Sections 545.151(b), (d), and (e), Transportation Code,
to include an inoperative traffic signal that controls an intersection of
various types of streets or roadways among the conditions that require an
operator of a motor vehicle to stop, yield, and grant immediate use of the
intersection to another vehicle. 

SECTION 3.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 4.  Emergency clause.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 2995 differs from the original bill in SECTION 1 (proposed Section
545.3021, Transportation Code) by prohibiting an operator of a motor
vehicle from entering an intersection unless the operator can expect to
exit the intersection without halting and impeding cross traffic, rather
than unless the intersection is not obstructed by a halted vehicle or other
obstruction and the operator can expect to exit the intersection without
halting. 

C.S.H.B. 2995 differs from the original bill by redesignating SECTIONS 2
and 3 of the original to SECTIONS 3 and 4. 

In new SECTION 2, the substitute amends Sections 545.151(b), (d), and (e),
Transportation Code, to include an inoperative traffic signal that controls
an intersection of various types of streets or roadways among the
conditions that require an operator of a motor vehicle to stop, yield, and
grant immediate use of the intersection to another vehicle.