By: Geren, Capriglione (Senate Sponsor - Nelson) H.B. No. 2536
(In the Senate - Received from the House April 29, 2013;
April 30, 2013, read first time and referred to Committee on
Transportation; May 9, 2013, reported favorably by the following
vote: Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 9, 2013, sent to printer.)
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the composition of certain regional transportation
authority subregional boards.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 452.541, Transportation Code, is amended
to read as follows:
Sec. 452.541. BOARD MEMBERSHIP: RESIDENCY IN AUTHORITY.
(a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a [A] member of a
subregional board must be a qualified voter residing in the
authority.
(b) An individual who does not reside in the authority may
be appointed to the board under Section 452.562(c)(1) if the
individual is a qualified voter of and resides in a municipality
that:
(1) has entered into a contract with the authority to
receive services; and
(2) has adopted a sales tax to participate in the
funding of a transportation project being planned, developed, or
operated by the authority.
SECTION 2. Section 452.562, Transportation Code, is amended
by amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (g) to read as
follows:
(c) If Subsection (b) does not apply, the subregional board
shall be appointed as follows:
(1) the commissioners court of the county of the
principal municipality shall appoint at least one member to
represent:
(A) the unincorporated areas and municipalities
in the county that are not otherwise represented on the subregional
board; and
(B) the municipalities that have entered into a
contract with the authority to receive services; and
(2) the remaining members shall be apportioned to the
municipalities confirmed as all or part of the subregion according
to the ratio that the population of each unit of election bears to
the total population of the area confirmed as the subregion.
(g) An elected officer of the state or a political
subdivision of this state who is not prohibited by the Texas
Constitution from serving on the board is eligible, as an
additional duty of office, to serve on the board. An elected
officer who is a board member is not entitled to receive
compensation for serving as a member but is entitled to
reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred in performing
duties as a member.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2013.
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