| 1 | 1 | | 84R11272 JAM-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Fletcher H.B. No. 3769 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the funding of certain transportation projects. |
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| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter H, Chapter 201, Transportation Code, |
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| 10 | 10 | | is amended by adding Section 201.623 to read as follows: |
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| 11 | 11 | | Sec. 201.623. PRIORITY CORRIDOR TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS. |
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| 12 | 12 | | (a) The department shall designate as priority corridors highways |
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| 13 | 13 | | or segments of highways in the state highway system that have |
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| 14 | 14 | | international importance. |
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| 15 | 15 | | (b) A transportation project in a priority corridor |
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| 16 | 16 | | designated under Subsection (a) must be given priority for |
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| 17 | 17 | | department resources, including available funding and staff time, |
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| 18 | 18 | | over other department projects. |
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| 19 | 19 | | SECTION 2. Sections 222.1075(a)(1) and (3), Transportation |
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| 20 | 20 | | Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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| 21 | 21 | | (1) "Port authority" means: |
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| 22 | 22 | | (A) a port authority or navigation district |
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| 23 | 23 | | created or operating under Section 52, Article III, or Section 59, |
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| 24 | 24 | | Article XVI, Texas Constitution; or |
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| 25 | 25 | | (B) a municipality containing an inland port. |
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| 26 | 26 | | (3) "Port project" means a project that is necessary |
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| 27 | 27 | | or convenient for the proper operation of an inland port or a |
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| 28 | 28 | | maritime port or waterway and that will improve the security, |
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| 29 | 29 | | movement, and intermodal transportation of cargo or passengers in |
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| 30 | 30 | | commerce and trade, including dredging, disposal, and other |
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| 31 | 31 | | projects. |
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| 32 | 32 | | SECTION 3. Section 222.1075, Transportation Code, is |
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| 33 | 33 | | amended by adding Subsection (n) to read as follows: |
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| 34 | 34 | | (n) Notwithstanding any other law, a port commission may |
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| 35 | 35 | | designate a port authority transportation reinvestment zone for a |
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| 36 | 36 | | port project located outside the boundaries of the port authority |
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| 37 | 37 | | if: |
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| 38 | 38 | | (1) the port commission finds that: |
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| 39 | 39 | | (A) the project will benefit the property and |
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| 40 | 40 | | residents located in the zone; and |
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| 41 | 41 | | (B) the creation of the zone will serve a public |
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| 42 | 42 | | purpose of the designating authority; |
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| 43 | 43 | | (2) a zone has been designated for the same project by |
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| 44 | 44 | | one or more authorities in whose boundaries the project is located; |
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| 45 | 45 | | and |
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| 46 | 46 | | (3) an agreement for joint support of the designated |
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| 47 | 47 | | zones is entered into under this section by: |
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| 48 | 48 | | (A) the authority whose boundaries do not contain |
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| 49 | 49 | | the project; and |
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| 50 | 50 | | (B) one or more of the authorities that have |
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| 51 | 51 | | designated a zone for the project and in whose boundaries the |
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| 52 | 52 | | project is located. |
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| 53 | 53 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 54 | 54 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 55 | 55 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 56 | 56 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 57 | 57 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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