| 1 | 1 | | 81R4623 MTB-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Carona S.J.R. No. 24 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A JOINT RESOLUTION |
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| 6 | 6 | | proposing a constitutional amendment allowing the expenditure of |
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| 7 | 7 | | motor vehicle fuel taxes and registration fees for passenger rail, |
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| 8 | 8 | | transit, and freight rail. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Section 7-a, Article VIII, Texas Constitution, |
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| 11 | 11 | | is amended to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 7-a. Subject to legislative appropriation, allocation |
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| 13 | 13 | | and direction, all net revenues remaining after payment of all |
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| 14 | 14 | | refunds allowed by law and expenses of collection derived from |
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| 15 | 15 | | motor vehicle registration fees, and all taxes, except gross |
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| 16 | 16 | | production and ad valorem taxes, on motor fuels and lubricants used |
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| 17 | 17 | | to propel motor vehicles over public roadways, shall be used for the |
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| 18 | 18 | | sole purpose of acquiring rights-of-way, constructing, |
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| 19 | 19 | | maintaining, and policing such public roadways, and for the |
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| 20 | 20 | | administration of such laws as may be prescribed by the Legislature |
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| 21 | 21 | | pertaining to the supervision of traffic and safety on such roads; |
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| 22 | 22 | | and for the purpose of constructing, maintaining, and operating |
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| 23 | 23 | | passenger rail, transit, and freight rail; [and for the payment of |
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| 24 | 24 | | the principal and interest on county and road district bonds or |
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| 25 | 25 | | warrants voted or issued prior to January 2, 1939, and declared |
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| 26 | 26 | | eligible prior to January 2, 1945, for payment out of the County and |
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| 27 | 27 | | Road District Highway Fund under existing law;] provided, however, |
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| 28 | 28 | | that one-fourth (1/4) of such net revenue from the motor fuel tax |
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| 29 | 29 | | shall be allocated to the Available School Fund; and, provided, |
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| 30 | 30 | | however, that the net revenue derived by counties from motor |
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| 31 | 31 | | vehicle registration fees shall never be less than the maximum |
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| 32 | 32 | | amounts allowed to be retained by each County and the percentage |
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| 33 | 33 | | allowed to be retained by each County under the laws in effect on |
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| 34 | 34 | | January 1, 1945. Nothing contained herein shall be construed as |
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| 35 | 35 | | authorizing the pledging of the State's credit for any purpose. |
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| 36 | 36 | | SECTION 2. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be |
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| 37 | 37 | | submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 3, 2009. |
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| 38 | 38 | | The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the |
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| 39 | 39 | | proposition: "The constitutional amendment to allow the |
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| 40 | 40 | | expenditure of motor vehicle fuel taxes and registration fees to |
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| 41 | 41 | | construct, maintain, and operate passenger rail, transit, and |
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| 42 | 42 | | freight rail." |
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