HBA-MSH H.B. 503 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 503
By: Pickett
Public Safety
2/28/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current law authorizes certain municipal police officers to enforce
commercial motor vehicle safety standards.  These standards regulate the
maintenance, equipment, loading, and operation of commercial motor
vehicles.  House Bill 503 authorizes a sheriff or deputy sheriff of a
county to apply to the Department of Public Safety (DPS) for certification
to enforce commercial motor vehicle safety standards. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking
authority is expressly delegated to the Department of Public Safety in
SECTION 1 (Section 644.101, Transportation Code) and SECTION 2 (Section
644.102, Transportation Code) of this bill. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 503 amends the Transportation Code to provide that a sheriff or
deputy sheriff of a county is eligible to apply to the Department of Public
Safety (DPS) for certification to enforce commercial motor vehicle safety
standards (safety standards).  The bill extends the rulemaking authority of
DPS to require DPS to establish reasonable fees sufficient to recover from
a county the cost of certifying its peace officers and to establish uniform
standards for county enforcement of safety standards. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

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