TITLE: Relating to the punishment for traffic offenses committed in a construction or maintenance work zone.

SUMMARY: Relating to the punishment for traffic offenses committed in a construction or maintenance work zone.

FULL TEXT:
AN ACT relating to the punishment for traffic offenses committed in a construction or maintenance work zone. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter O, Chapter 521, Transportation Code, is amended by adding Section 521.352 to read as follows: Sec. 521.352. SUSPENSION FOR CERTAIN OFFENSES IN CONSTRUCTION OR MAINTENANCE WORK ZONE. (a) A person's driver's license is automatically suspended on final conviction of an offense under Subtitle Cif it is shown at trial that: (1) the offense is committed in a construction or maintenance work zone when workers are present and any written notice to appear issued for the offense states on its face that workers were present when the offense was committed; and (2) within the preceding five years of the date on which the offense was committed, the person has been convicted two or more times of an offense under Subtitle Cthat was committed in a construction or maintenance work zone. (b) The period of suspension shall be for the period set by the court of not less than 30 days or more than 90 days. If the court does not set the period, the department shall suspend the license for 90 days. SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred before that date. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.