| 1 | 1 | | By: Wilson H.B. No. 3843 |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | relating to a study and report by the Texas A&M Transportation |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | Institute regarding toll project entities. |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | (1) "Institute" means the Texas A&M Transportation |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | Institute. |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | (2) "Toll project" has the meaning assigned by Section |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | 201.001(b), Transportation Code. |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | (3) "Toll project entity" means an entity that |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | operates a toll project, including: |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | (A) the Texas Department of Transportation under |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | Chapter 228, Transportation Code; |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | (B) a regional tollway authority under Chapter |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | 366, Transportation Code; |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | (C) a regional mobility authority under Chapter |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | 370, Transportation Code; or |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | (D) a county under Chapter 284, Transportation |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | Code. |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | SECTION 2. STUDY. (a) The institute shall conduct a study |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | comparing the practices and operations of toll project entities |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | statewide. |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | (b) The study must include a comparison of: |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | (1) toll operations; |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | (2) error rates; |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | (3) customer complaints and case escalations; |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | (4) speed of processing; |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | (5) billing practices; and |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | (6) any other factors the institute deems appropriate. |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | (c) Not later than May 1, 2024, each toll project entity |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | shall submit to the institute the entity's comments on best |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | practices for and challenges experienced with the matters listed in |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | Subsection (b) of this section and any other matter that presents a |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | challenge to the entity in the operation of a toll project. The |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | institute shall incorporate the comments into the report required |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | by Section 3 of this Act. |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | SECTION 3. REPORT. Not later than December 1, 2024, the |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | institute shall submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | and the legislature a written report of the findings of the study. |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | SECTION 4. EXPIRATION DATE. This Act expires May 1, 2025. |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
|---|