Highlights 77th Texas Legislature - Senate

________________________ TRANSPORTATION
77 th Texas Legislature
Prohibits persons under 17 years of age, who hold a motorcycle or moped provisional permit, during the
first six months after receiving the permit, from operating the motorcycle or moped between midnight and 5
a.m. unless in sight of the persons’ parents or guardians, or the driving is necessary for work, schoolrelated
activities, or medical emergencies.
Provides that these prohibitions do not apply to holders of a hardship license or persons driving while
accompanied by an 18-year-old with at least one year of driving experience.
Prohibits a peace officer from stopping a vehicle or detaining the driver for the sole purpose of determining
whether the operator of the vehicle is driving under prohibited circumstances.
Creation of the Center for Transportation Safety - S.B. 586
by Senator Ogden
House Sponsor: Representative Alexander
Establishes The Center for Transportation Safety as part of the Texas Transportation Institute in the Texas
A&M University System.
This Center will aid the state in improving the safety of the roadways by conducting programs of research,
education, and technology transfer. In addition, it will develop and test roadway safety technologies, study
how roadway safety affects complex policy issues, foster productivity and competitiveness in the roadway
safety industry through research, increase public awareness of the importance that roadway safety has to
the state economy, and study environmental issues associated with roadway transportation.
It will also be able to enter into interagency agreements and contract with local, state, county, federal, and
private entities to accomplish work under the center's programs. The Center can also create programs and
partnerships with public or private entities to develop and implement new policies, technology, strategies,
and relationships.
Updates Related to Commercial Trucks - S.B. 886
by Senator Ogden
House Sponsor: Representative Gallego
Currently, laws regarding size and weight restrictions related to the operation of a commercial vehicle in the
Transportation Code are outdated, with some provisions dating back to the 1930s. This bill updates
various provisions for the Transportation Code to reflect current practices, including provisions related to:
• licensing and driver’s license offenses;
• employer responsibilities related to requiring drivers to drive certain trucks;
• axle weights;
• length of loads; and
• driving on interstate and defense highways.
Senate Research Center 306