HBA-BSM H.B. 374 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 374
By: Wohlgemuth
Criminal Jurisprudence
4/9/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Child safety programs provide police departments with an ideal resource for
educating child victims of crime and funding school safety programs.  Some
departments teach children in  a classroom setting about the dangers of
drugs, safely crossing the street, and how and when to use 9-1-1.  Funds
for these programs are collected from people convicted of a variety of
traffic offenses.  During the 75th legislative session, a limit was enacted
that only allowed municipalities with a population of 400,000 or more to
collect funds for particular offenses including offenses within a school
crossing zone and passing a school bus.  This population requirement has
made it difficult for many smaller municipalities to collect funds for and
maintain child safety programs.  House Bill 374 removes the population
requirement for a municipality to collect funds for these violations.    

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. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 374 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to remove the
population limit of 400,000 or more for a municipality to be able to
collect court costs and fines from violators of traffic offenses within a
school crossing zone and who commit an offense of passing a school bus. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.