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


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2263
By: Danburg
Transportation
3/20/2001
Introduced



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 recently led the effort to
rehabilitate and catalogue the historical roadside markers throughout the
state and to create a database of the markers.  No state travel guide is
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 when practicable signs informing users of the roadway
of the marker and indicating the identifying number of the marker.   The
bill requires a sign to be located at or near the milepost along the
roadway immediately preceding the historical marker in each direction.  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. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001.