CHAPTER 204. TRAVEL INFORMATION
TRANSPORTATION CODE
TITLE 6. ROADWAYS
SUBTITLE A. TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
CHAPTER 204. TRAVEL INFORMATION
Sec. 204.001. INFORMATION FOR PUBLIC; MAPS. (a) To provide
information relating to highway construction, repair, and
maintenance and to advertise and attract traffic to the highways
of this state, the department may prepare and publish for
distribution, in the manner and form the department considers
best, documents the department considers necessary and expedient
to publicize and provide information concerning:
(1) the highways of this state;
(2) public parks, recreational areas, scenic areas, and other
public places and objects of interest;
(3) distances;
(4) historical facts; and
(5) other matters of interest and value to the public and
highway users.
(b) The department periodically may prepare a map showing:
(1) the highways of this state; and
(2) municipalities and other places of interest served by those
highways.
(c) The department may distribute the documents and maps in the
manner and to the extent the department considers will best serve
the motoring public and highway users.
Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1276, Sec. 16.001(a), eff.
Sept. 1, 2003.
Sec. 204.002. CHARGE FOR MATERIALS. (a) The department shall
provide a single copy of a document or map distributed under
Section 204.001 without charge.
(b) The department by rule may:
(1) require payment for large quantities of the material; and
(2) authorize distribution without charge of multiple copies of
the material if the distribution will maximize the department's
resources available to advertise the highways of this state and
promote travel to and within this state.
(c) Payment required under Subsection (b)(1) must be in an
amount sufficient to recover the department's direct and indirect
production costs. Money received by the department under this
section shall be deposited to the credit of the state highway
fund and used by the department to produce travel material.
Section 403.095, Government Code, does not apply to money
deposited under this subsection.
(d) If this section conflicts with a license agreement entered
into under Section 201.205, the license agreement prevails to the
extent of that conflict.
Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1276, Sec. 16.001(a), eff.
Sept. 1, 2003.
Sec. 204.003. TRAVEL INFORMATION CENTERS. The department shall
maintain and operate travel information centers at the principal
gateways to this state to provide highway information, travel
guidance, and descriptive material designed to assist the
traveling public and stimulate travel to and within this state.
Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1276, Sec. 16.001(a), eff.
Sept. 1, 2003.
Sec. 204.004. PAYMENT OF COSTS. The department may pay from
highway revenues the cost, including the administration and
operation cost, of:
(1) developing, publishing, and distributing material; and
(2) maintaining and operating travel information centers.
Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1276, Sec. 16.001(a), eff.
Sept. 1, 2003.
Sec. 204.005. PURCHASE OF BROADCASTING AND PERIODICAL
ADVERTISING. The department may purchase advertising space in a
periodical of national circulation and time on a broadcasting
facility from money appropriated from the general revenue fund
and administered by the department for that specific purpose.
Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1276, Sec. 16.001(a), eff.
Sept. 1, 2003.
Sec. 204.006. CONTRACTS FOR ADVERTISING, MOVIES, AND
PHOTOGRAPHS. (a) The department may enter into a contract
with:
(1) a recognized and financially responsible advertising agency
that has at least five years' experience handling similar
accounts for the contracting of space in newspapers and
periodicals for the publication of advertising information,
historical facts, statistics, and pictures that will be useful
and informative to persons outside this state; and
(2) motion picture producers and other persons for making movies
or taking photographs in this state and for the showing of those
movies and photographs.
(b) The department may join with another agency of this state in
publishing informational publicity material under this section.
Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1276, Sec. 16.001(a), eff.
Sept. 1, 2003.
Sec. 204.007. PRIVATE CONTRIBUTIONS. (a) The department may
accept a contribution from a private source for a purpose under
Sections 204.001-204.006.
(b) The department may deposit the contribution in one or more
banks and use the contribution at its discretion according to the
contributor's wishes.
Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1276, Sec. 16.001(a), eff.
Sept. 1, 2003.
Sec. 204.008. PRODUCTION, MARKETING, AND DISTRIBUTION CONTRACTS.
(a) The department may contract with a private entity to
produce, market, and distribute material published under Sections
204.001-204.006 on the terms, including terms providing cost
savings, the department considers beneficial to this state.
(b) A contract may:
(1) include cooperative strategies the department considers to
provide cost benefits; and
(2) provide for acceptance of paid advertising in the material
if the quality and quantity of the material are maintained.
Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1276, Sec. 16.001(a), eff.
Sept. 1, 2003.
Sec. 204.009. SALE OF PROMOTIONAL ITEMS. (a) The department
may sell promotional items such as calendars, books, prints,
caps, light clothing, or other items approved by the commission
that advertise the resources of this state.
(b) All proceeds from the sale of the items shall be deposited
to the credit of the state highway fund for the department's use
in its travel and information operations.
(c) Section 403.095, Government Code, does not apply to money
deposited under this section.
Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1276, Sec. 16.001(a), eff.
Sept. 1, 2003.
Sec. 204.010. TRAVEL MAGAZINE. (a) The department shall
publish the official travel magazine of this state, "Texas
Highways."
(b) The department shall set subscription rates and other
charges for the magazine at a level that generates receipts
approximately sufficient to cover the cost of producing and
distributing the magazine.
Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1276, Sec. 16.001(a), eff.
Sept. 1, 2003.
Sec. 204.011. SUBSCRIBER OR PURCHASER INFORMATION. (a) Except
as provided by this section or a rule adopted by the commission
under this section, the department may not disclose to any person
the name, address, telephone number, social security account
number, driver's license number, bank account number, credit or
debit card number, or charge account number of a person who:
(1) is or has been a subscriber to "Texas Highways"; or
(2) has purchased from the department a promotional item
described by Section 204.009.
(b) Chapter 552, Government Code, does not apply to subscriber
or purchaser information described by Subsection (a).
(c) The commission by rule shall establish policies relating to:
(1) the release of subscriber or purchaser information;
(2) the use by the department of subscriber and purchaser
information; and
(3) the sale of a mailing list containing the names and
addresses of subscribers or purchasers.
(d) The policies must:
(1) include a method by which a subscriber or purchaser may
require the department to exclude information about the person
from a mailing list that is sold; and
(2) provide that subscriber or purchaser information be
disclosed to an agency of this state or the United States only if
that agency certifies that the information is necessary for the
performance of that agency's duties.
(e) The department is immune from civil or criminal liability if
the department unintentionally violates this section or a rule
adopted under this section.
(f) In this section, a reference to the department includes an
officer, employee, or agent of the department.
Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1276, Sec. 16.001(a), eff.
Sept. 1, 2003.