By: Lozano H.B. No. 4483
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a study by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute
regarding the economic impact of navigation districts on the state
and local economies.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. (a) In this section, "institute" means the Texas
A&M Transportation Institute.
(b) The institute, in consultation with the comptroller of
public accounts and the standing committees of the legislature with
primary jurisdiction over the institute, shall study each
navigation district and municipal utility agency responsible for a
ship channel with a federally authorized depth of at least 35 feet
in this state.
(c) In conducting the study, the institute shall, for each
navigation district and municipal utility agency:
(1) analyze the district's and agency's:
(A) assessment of fees imposed by the district or
agency;
(B) cargoes and commodities;
(C) navigation safety; and
(D) primary expenditures; and
(2) collect the following information:
(A) annual fee income;
(B) consistency of fee income;
(C) historical rate of growth in the previous 15
years for fee income;
(D) fee income sources;
(E) expenditures based on the following
categories:
(i) labor for maintenance and operations;
(ii) materials for maintenance and
operations;
(iii) materials for expansion projects;
(iv) consumables;
(v) cost overruns;
(vi) utilities;
(vii) capital expenditures;
(viii) project expenditures; and
(ix) operating expenditures;
(F) direct economic impacts to the state and
local economies from the district's or agency's activities;
(G) projected economic growth over the next 10
years;
(H) an assessment of all import and export
commodities; and
(I) a comprehensive analysis of security and
resiliency of cargoes, vessels, containers, and navigation.
(d) The institute shall disaggregate the data described by
Subsection (c) of this section by county.
(e) Not later than December 1, 2024, the institute shall
prepare a written report with the information described by this
section, a summary of the institute's findings, and recommendations
for legislative or other action and submit the report to the
governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of
representatives, and the chairs of the committees of the
legislature with primary jurisdiction over the institute.
(f) This section expires January 1, 2025.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.