By: Watson S.B. No. 2015
(In the Senate - Filed March 12, 2009; March 24, 2009, read
first time and referred to Committee on Transportation and Homeland
Security; April 1, 2009, reported adversely, with favorable
Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0;
April 1, 2009, sent to printer.)
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 2015 By: Watson
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to certain metropolitan rapid transit authorities.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 451.061, Transportation Code, is amended
by amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsection (d-1) to read as
follows:
(d) Except as provided by Subsection (d-1), the [The] fares,
tolls, charges, rents, and other compensation established by an
authority in which the principal municipality has a population of
less than 1.2 million may not take effect until approved by a
majority vote of a committee composed of:
(1) five members of the governing body of the
principal municipality, selected by that governing body;
(2) three members of the commissioners court of the
county having the largest portion of the incorporated territory of
the principal municipality, selected by that commissioners court;
and
(3) three mayors of municipalities, other than the
principal municipality, located in the authority, selected by:
(A) the mayors of all the municipalities, except
the principal municipality, located in the authority; or
(B) the mayor of the most populous municipality,
other than the principal municipality, in the case of an authority
in which the principal municipality has a population of less than
300,000.
(d-1) The establishment of or a change to fares, tolls,
charges, rents, and other compensation by an authority confirmed
before July 1, 1985, in which the principal municipality has a
population of less than 750,000, takes effect immediately on
approval by a majority vote of the board, except that the
establishment of or a change to a single-ride base fare takes effect
on the 60th day after the date the board approves the fare or change
to the fare, unless the policy board of the metropolitan planning
organization that serves the area of the authority disapproves the
fare or change to the fare by a majority vote.
SECTION 2. Section 451.071, Transportation Code, is amended
by adding Subsection (g) to read as follows:
(g) This section does not require the authority to hold a
referendum on a proposal to:
(1) enter into a contract to build, operate, or
maintain a fixed rail transit system for another entity; or
(2) expand a system previously approved under this
section if the proposed expansion:
(A) involves the addition of not more than one
mile of track to the system; and
(B) improves the operational performance of the
system.
SECTION 3. Subchapter J, Chapter 451, Transportation Code,
is amended by adding Sections 451.458, 451.459, and 451.460 to read
as follows:
Sec. 451.458. INTERNAL AUDITOR. (a) This section applies
only to an authority confirmed before July 1, 1985, in which the
principal municipality has a population of less than 750,000.
(b) The board shall enter into a contract with a qualified
individual to perform internal auditing services as specified in
the contract. A contract entered into under this section may be
renewed for subsequent fiscal years of the authority.
(c) The contract must require the auditor to report directly
to the board.
Sec. 451.459. SUNSET REVIEW. (a) An authority confirmed
before July 1, 1985, in which the principal municipality has a
population of less than 750,000 is subject to review under Chapter
325, Government Code (Texas Sunset Act), as if it were a state
agency but may not be abolished under that chapter. The review
shall be conducted as if the authority were scheduled to be
abolished September 1, 2011. In addition, another review shall be
conducted as if the authority were scheduled to be abolished
September 1, 2016.
(b) The authority shall pay the cost incurred by the Sunset
Advisory Commission in performing a review of the authority under
this section. The Sunset Advisory Commission shall determine the
cost, and the authority shall pay the amount promptly on receipt of
a statement from the Sunset Advisory Commission detailing the cost.
Sec. 451.460. REPORT TO PRINCIPAL MUNICIPALITY. (a) This
section applies only to an authority confirmed before July 1, 1985,
in which the principal municipality has a population of less than
750,000.
(b) The authority annually shall provide an oral report to
the governing body of the principal municipality regarding the
status of any financial obligation of the authority to the
municipality.
SECTION 4. Section 451.5021, Transportation Code, is
amended by amending Subsections (a), (b), and (d) and adding
Subsections (b-1), (d-1), and (d-2) to read as follows:
(a) This section applies only to the board of an authority
created before July 1, 1985, in which the principal municipality
has a population of less than 750,000 [in which each member of the
governing body of the principal municipality is elected at large].
(b) Members of the [The] board [is composed of seven members
who] are appointed as follows:
(1) one member, who is an elected official, [two
members representing the general public] appointed by the
metropolitan planning organization designated by the governor that
serves the area of the authority;
(2) one member, who is an elected official, [two
members] appointed by the governing body of the principal
municipality;
(3) one member jointly appointed by:
(A) the governing body of the principal
municipality; and
(B) the commissioners court of the principal
county;
(4) one member jointly appointed by:
(A) the governing body of the principal
municipality; and
(B) the commissioners court of the county,
excluding the principal county, that has the largest population of
the counties in the authority [a panel composed of the mayors of all
the municipalities in the authority located in the principal county
of the authority, excluding the mayor of the principal
municipality]; [and]
(5) one member, who is an elected official, appointed
by a panel composed of:
(A) the mayors of all municipalities in the
authority [located outside the principal county of the authority],
excluding the mayor of the principal municipality; and
(B) each member of a commissioners court who
represents a commissioner precinct that includes an [the county
judges of the counties having] unincorporated area of the county in
the authority;
(6) one member, who has at least 10 years of experience
as a financial or accounting professional, appointed by the
metropolitan planning organization that serves the area in which
the authority is located;
(7) one member, who has at least 10 years of experience
in an executive-level position in a public or private organization,
including a governmental entity, appointed by the metropolitan
planning authority that serves the area in which the authority is
located; and
(8) two members appointed by the metropolitan planning
organization that serves the area in which the authority is
located, if according to the most recent federal decennial census
more than 35 percent of the population in the territory of the
authority resides outside the principal municipality[, excluding
the county judge of the principal county; and
[(C) the presiding officer of each municipal
utility district that:
[(i) has a majority of its territory
located outside the principal county; and
[(ii) is located wholly or partly in the
authority].
(b-1) Members of the board serve staggered three-year
terms, with the terms of two or three members, as applicable,
expiring June 1 of each year.
(d) A person appointed under Subsection (b)(1), (2)
[(b)(2), (3), (4)], or (5):
(1) must be a member of the governing body:
(A) of the political subdivision that is entitled
to make the appointment; or
(B) over which a member of the panel entitled to
make an appointment presides;
(2) vacates the office of board member if the person
ceases to be a member of the governing body described by Subdivision
(1);
(3) serves on the board as an additional duty of the
office held on the governing body described by Subdivision (1); and
(4) is not entitled to compensation for serving as a
member of the board.
(d-1) At least two members appointed under Subsections
(b)(1), (6), and (7) must be qualified voters residing in the
principal municipality.
(d-2) A person appointed under Subsection (b)(3) or (4)
must:
(1) have the person's principal place of occupation or
employment in:
(A) the principal municipality; or
(B) a county commissioners precinct represented
by a member of the panel that appointed the person; or
(2) be a qualified voter of:
(A) the principal municipality; or
(B) a county commissioners precinct represented
by a member of the panel that appointed the person.
SECTION 5. Subsections (g) and (h), Section 451.5021,
Transportation Code, are repealed.
SECTION 6. (a) The term of a member of the board of a rapid
transit authority confirmed before July 1, 1985, in which the
principal municipality has a population of 750,000 or less expires
on November 1, 2009.
(b) As soon as practicable on or after the effective date of
this Act, but not later than November 1, 2009, the persons and
entities specified in Section 451.5021, Transportation Code, as
amended by this Act, shall appoint the members of the board of the
rapid transit authority in compliance with that section, as
amended, to serve terms that begin November 1, 2009.
(c) The members of the board of the rapid transit authority
appointed under Subsection (b) of this section shall draw lots to
determine which terms of three members expire June 1, 2010, which
terms of three members expire June 1, 2011, and which terms of three
members expire June 1, 2012.
SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
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