HBA-ALS H.B. 1744 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1744
By: Noriega
Transportation
2/26/1999
Introduced



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 in bad weather.  H.B. 1744 eliminates the
provision that rooftop warning lights on a school bus may operate only when
the bus is stopping to load or unload students during inclement weather,
and allows the lights to be operated at all times during inclement weather. 

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 authorize a
school bus to be equipped with rooftop warning lamps that may be operated
only during inclement weather, rather than only during inclement weather
when the bus is stopping or is stopped to load or unload students. 

SECTION 2.Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 3.Emergency clause.