HBA-KDB H.B. 3100 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3100
By: Isett
Transportation
4/27/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

There is concern that running red lights  has become a considerable problem
in this state.  Under current law, $200 is the maximum fine a municipality
may charge a person who runs a red light.  There is no increased penalty
for multiple offenders.  If the offense is raised to a Class C misdemeanor,
a municipality will have the authority to increase the penalties for such
offenses.  House Bill 3100 raises such an offense to a Class C misdemeanor
and authorizes the court to suspend the license of a repeat offender. 

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 3100 amends the Transportation Code to provide that it is a
Class C misdemeanor if an operator of a vehicle violates provisions
relating to stopping at a steady red traffic-control signal.  The bill
authorizes the court to order that the driver's license of a person be
suspended if the person is convicted of a second or subsequent offense of
violating such provisions before the second anniversary of the date of the
most recent previous offense of which the person was convicted.  The bill
provides that the period of suspension for a second offense is 30 days and
for a subsequent offense is 30 days plus a number of days computed by
multiplying 30 days by the number of subsequent offenses. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.