By: Nichols S.B. No. 2216
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to state fiscal matters regarding business and economic
development.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
ARTICLE 1. REDUCTION OF EXPENDITURES AND IMPOSITION OF CHARGES
GENERALLY
SECTION 1.01. This article applies to any state agency that
receives an appropriation under Article VII of the General
Appropriations Act.
SECTION 1.02. Notwithstanding any other statute of this
state, each state agency to which this article applies is
authorized to reduce or recover expenditures by:
(1) consolidating any reports or publications the
agency is required to make and filing or delivering any of those
reports or publications exclusively by electronic means;
(2) extending the effective period of any license,
permit, or registration the agency grants or administers;
(3) entering into a contract with another governmental
entity or with a private vendor to carry out any of the agency's
duties;
(4) adopting additional eligibility requirements for
persons who receive benefits under any law the agency administers
to ensure that those benefits are received by the most deserving
persons consistent with the purposes for which the benefits are
provided;
(5) providing that any communication between the
agency and another person and any document required to be delivered
to or by the agency, including any application, notice, billing
statement, receipt, or certificate, may be made or delivered by
e-mail or through the Internet; and
(6) adopting and collecting fees or charges to cover
any costs the agency incurs in performing its lawful functions.
ARTICLE 2. FISCAL MATTERS REGARDING TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS AND
ACTIVITIES
SECTION 2.01. Section 201.601, Transportation Code, is
amended by adding Subsection (g) to read as follows:
(g) The plan must include a component that evaluates future
federal funding opportunities for all modes of transportation and
identifies actions necessary to maximize the total amount of
federal funds received in the future for transportation
improvements in this state.
SECTION 2.02. Subchapter H, Chapter 201, Transportation
Code, is amended by adding Section 201.623 to read as follows:
Sec. 201.623. COOPERATION WITH LOCAL PLANNING ENTITIES TO
MAXIMIZE FEDERAL FUNDING FOR PROJECTS. The department shall work
and plan with local transportation planning entities to maximize
the amount of federal funding awarded for projects in this state by
identifying and pursuing projects that are eligible for federal
grant programs, including the scenic byways program.
ARTICLE 3. FISCAL MATTERS REGARDING PERMIT FEES
SECTION 3.01. Subchapter A, Chapter 623, Transportation
Code, is amended by adding Section 623.002 to read as follows:
Sec. 623.004. EVALUATION OF PERMIT FEES. (a) The
department shall evaluate highway use in this state by oversize or
overweight vehicles, calculate the cost of damage to highways in
this state caused by those vehicles, and determine whether:
(1) the fees charged for permits issued under this
chapter are adequate to offset the costs of damage to highways
caused by those vehicles and recommend any fee adjustments for the
permits to reflect the costs of damage to highways caused by those
vehicles; and
(2) vehicles currently exempt from permit
requirements under this chapter should be required to obtain a
permit to operate on roads or highways in this state.
(b) Not later than October 1 of each even-numbered year, the
department shall report its findings to:
(1) the Legislative Budget Board; and
(2) the governor.
SECTION 3.02. Section 623.077, Transportation Code, is
amended to read as follows:
Sec. 623.077. HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE FEE. (a) An applicant
for a permit under this subchapter, other than a permit under
Section 623.071(c)(3), must also pay a highway maintenance fee in
an amount determined according to vehicle weight and distance
traveled. [the following table:
[Vehicle Weight in Pounds Fee [Vehicle Weight in Pounds Fee
[Vehicle Weight in Pounds Fee
[80,001 to 120,000 $150 [80,001 to 120,000 $150
[80,001 to 120,000 $150
[120,001 to 160,000 $225 [120,001 to 160,000 $225
[120,001 to 160,000 $225
[160,001 to 200,000 $300 [160,001 to 200,000 $300
[160,001 to 200,000 $300
[200,001 and above $375] [200,001 and above $375]
[200,001 and above $375]
(b) The department shall adopt rules to implement this
section and establish a schedule of rates, based on miles traveled,
for all vehicle weight categories that provides for an increase in
the rates according to the weight of a vehicle.
(c) The department shall send each fee collected under
Subsection (a) to the comptroller, who shall deposit:
(1) 90 percent of the fee to the credit of the state
highway fund; and
(2) 10 percent of the fee to the credit of the Texas
Department of Motor Vehicles fund.
SECTION 3.03. (a) The Texas Department of Transportation
shall adopt rules implementing Section 623.077, Transportation
Code, as amended by this article, not later than January 1, 2018.
(b) Section 623.077(a), Transportation Code, as amended by
this article, applies only to an application for a permit submitted
under Subchapter D, Chapter 623, Transportation Code, to the Texas
Department of Transportation on or after January 1, 2018. An
application for a permit submitted before January 1, 2018, is
governed by the law in effect on the date the application was
submitted, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose.
ARTICLE 4. ARTICLE VII EMPLOYEES
SECTION 4.01. An employee of an agency appropriated funds
under Article VII of the General Appropriations Act is not entitled
to an amount from the state for expenses, per diem, travel, or
salary that exceeds the amount authorized for those purposes by the
General Appropriations Act.
SECTION 2.02. An employee of an agency appropriated funds
under Article VII of the General Appropriations Act is not entitled
to an amount from the state for a salary, a salary supplement,
office expenses or reimbursement of office expenses, or travel that
exceeds the amount authorized for those purposes by the General
Appropriations Act.
Article 5. EFFECTIVE DATE
SECTION 5.4.01. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
[Vehicle Weight in Pounds Fee
[80,001 to 120,000 $150
[120,001 to 160,000 $225
[160,001 to 200,000 $300
[200,001 and above $375]