HBA-NRS H.B. 1677 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1677 By: Burnam Transportation 4/22/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE School children in Texas face obstacles that may prevent them from walking to school safely, including the lack of sidewalk infrastructure and difficulties crossing multilane roadways. Such obstacles may be remedied by using federal funds received by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) under the Hazard Elimination Program. House Bill 1677 earmarks a portion of federal hazard elimination funds for safety improvements along school routes. 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 1677 amends the Transportation Code to provide that, in each of the first five fiscal years that begin on or after September 1, 2001, one-third of all money received by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) from the United States under the Hazard Elimination Program may be used only for projects that are located in high-hazard locations near schools in municipalities and counties and that provide for the construction or installation of traffic-calming measures in those locations or are designed to improve bicycle or pedestrian safety in those locations. The bill requires TxDOT to establish and administer a Safe Routes to School Program to distribute money received under the Hazard Elimination Program to counties and municipalities for certain projects to improve safety near schools. The bill requires TxDOT to consider certain factors in considering whether to approve a grant. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.