HBA-MPA, CDB S.B. 836 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 836 By: Duncan Transportation 5/18/1999 Committee Report (Amended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, Texas law requires all school buses carrying students to travel at speeds not exceeding 55 miles per hour on an interstate and 50 miles per hour elsewhere. In certain school districts that travel long distances to extracurricular activities, students must leave class earlier, and arrive home later. S.B. 836 increases the speed limit for certain buses used to transport students to school activities. 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 541.201, Transportation Code, as follows: (15) Adds new text to define "school activity bus." (16) Redefines "school bus." Redesignated from Subdivision (15). (17)-(23) Redesiganted from Subdivisions (16)-(22). SECTION 2. Amends Section 545.352(c), Transportation Code, to provide that the speed limits for a bus or other vehicle engaged in the business of transporting passengers for compensation or hire, for a commercial vehicle used as a highway post office vehicle for highway post office service in the transportation of United States mail, for a light truck, and for a school activity bus are the same as required for a passenger car at the same time and location. SECTION 3. Amends Section 521.022, Transportation Code, by adding Subsection (i), to provide that for the purposes of this section, "school bus" includes a school activity bus as defined by Section 541.201 (Vehicles). SECTION 4. Amends Section 548.001, Transportation Code, to make conforming changes. SECTION 5. Amends Section 548.201(b), Transportation Code, to include that an inspection program for commercial motor vehicles under this section also applies to any school activity bus, as defined in Section 541.201, that has a gross weight, registered weight, or gross weight rating of more than 26,000 pounds, or is designed to transport more than 15 passengers, including the driver. SECTION 6. Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage. EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS Amendment #1. Amends S.B. 836 by adding a new SECTION 6 and renumbering subsequent sections as appropriate. SECTION 6. Amends Section 547.701, Transportation Code, by amending Subsection (a), redesignating existing Subsections (b)-(d) as (d)-(f), and adding new Subsections (b), (c), (g), (h), and (i), as follows: (a) Prohibits a person from operating a school bus to transport students on a school bus route unless the bus, as referenced in Section 547.7015 (Rules Relating to School Buses): (1) meets or exceeds state specifications for school buses effective during the year of vehicle manufacture; (2) is equipped with signal lamps that meet certain enumerated standards; (3) is maintained to meet and exceed applicable state inspection standards; and (4) if modified, is modified in a manner that meets or exceeds applicable state specifications for school buses effective during the year the bus is modified. Deletes existing text of Subsection (a) setting standards for mirrors and signal lamps. (b) Provides that Subsection (a)(1) does not apply to a school bus used to transport students on a school related activity trip, but prohibits a person from operating a school bus to transport students on such a trip unless the bus meets or exceeds federal motor vehicle safety standards during the year of vehicle manufacture and state inspection requirements if modified, is modified in a manner that meets or exceeds applicable state specifications for school buses effective during the year the bus is modified. (c) Prohibits a person from operating a school bus to transport students unless the bus accessories: (1) meet or exceed state specifications under Section 547.7015 for school bus accessories effective during the year of accessory installation; (2) include a convex mirror that reflects to the bus operator a clear view of the area immediately in front of the bus; (3) are maintained to meet or exceed applicable state inspection requirements; and (4) if modified, are modified in a manner that meets or exceeds applicable state specifications for the accessory effective during the year the accessory is modified. (g) Provides that the Department of Public Safety is authorized to inspect buses and vehicles for compliance with this section. (h) Defines "person," for purposes of this section. (i) Provides that an offense under this subsection is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than $200 or more than $1,000 to the owner of the bus.