HBA-MAJ H.B. 377 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 377 By: Williams Transportation 4/1/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, the commissioners court of a county cannot set a speed limit lower than 30 miles per hour. Unincorporated areas are subject to the speed limits set by a county commissioners court. Some of these areas have narrow roads and certain geographical features which limit visibility. H.B. 377 gives a commissioners court of a county the authority to legally lower the speed limit of a road to 20 miles per hour if it determines the prima facie speed limit is unreasonable or unsafe. 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 545.355(a), Transportation Code, by lowering from 30 to 20 miles per hour the speed limit that can be set on a county road or highway where a county commissioners court determines the prima facie speed limit is unreasonable or unsafe. SECTION 2. Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.