HBA-MSH H.B. 2263 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2263
By: Danburg
Transportation
7/18/2001
Enrolled



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The Texas historical marker program provides information about historically
significant sites, people, and events in Texas. The program has been used
to promote tourism and interest in local and state history for almost 40
years.  The Texas Historical Commission has led the effort to rehabilitate
and catalogue the historical roadside markers throughout the state and to
create a database of the markers.  Prior to the 77th Legislature, no state
travel guide was published to disseminate this information to travelers.
House Bill 2263 requires the Texas Department of Transportation in
consultation with the Texas Historical Commission to publish a guide to
roadside historical markers.  

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 2263 amends the Government Code to require the Texas Department
of Transportation (TxDOT) in consultation with the Texas Historical
Commission (commission) to publish a guide to historical markers along
roadways in this state that includes a listing of the historical markers
along roadways with identifying numbers assigned to each marker by TxDOT
and a summary of the information on each marker. The bill requires TxDOT to
erect and maintain if practicable signs informing users of the roadway of
the marker and indicating the identifying number of the marker.  The bill
requires TxDOT to erect a sign approximately one mile preceding the
historical marker if that placement is practicable.  The bill requires
TxDOT to use information from the commission's historical roadside marker
restoration program and the state historical marker program in creating the
guide to historical markers.  The bill requires TxDOT to make the guide
available to the public at a reasonable price determined by TxDOT.  The
bill requires that revenue from the sales of the guide be deposited to the
credit of the state highway fund.  The bill requires TxDOT to work with the
commission to ensure that there is no duplication between publications
currently available through the commission or other sources. 

The bill provides that TxDOT is not required to replace or change a
historical marker sign that was erected before the effective date of the
bill except in the normal course of maintenance of the sign. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

June 13, 2001.