By: Morales of Maverick H.B. No. 4976
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the creation of the Middle Rio Grande Regional Mobility
Authority; authorizing a fee.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 370, Transportation Code, is amended by
adding Subchapter L to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER L. MIDDLE RIO GRANDE REGIONAL MOBILITY AUTHORITY
Sec. 370.451. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "member
county" means a county located in the territory of the Middle Rio
Grande Regional Mobility Authority.
Sec. 370.452. NATURE OF AUTHORITY. (a) The Middle Rio
Grande Regional Mobility Authority is an authority organized under
this chapter.
(b) A provision of this chapter that requires the commission
to approve the creation of an authority does not apply to the Middle
Rio Grande Regional Mobility Authority.
Sec. 370.453. CONFLICTS WITH OTHER SUBCHAPTERS. In the
case of a conflict between this subchapter and other provisions of
this chapter or other law governing regional mobility authorities,
this subchapter controls.
Sec. 370.454. MEMBER COUNTIES. (a) The Middle Rio Grande
Regional Mobility Authority initially includes the following
counties:
(1) Dimmit County;
(2) Frio County;
(3) Kinney County;
(4) Maverick County;
(5) Uvalde County;
(6) Val Verde County; and
(7) Zavala County.
(b) A county may be added to or withdrawn from the Middle
Rio Grande Regional Mobility Authority in the manner provided by
Section 370.0315.
Sec. 370.455. BOARD OF DIRECTORS; TERMS. (a) The governing
body of the Middle Rio Grande Regional Mobility Authority is a board
of directors consisting of a representative of each member county.
(b) The commissioners court of each member county shall
appoint one director to serve on the board.
(c) The board shall elect either the director representing
Maverick County or the director representing Val Verde County as
the presiding officer. A director may not serve as presiding
officer for more than two consecutive years. If the director
positions representing Maverick County and Val Verde County are
vacant simultaneously, the board may choose a presiding officer
representing another county.
(d) Directors serve two-year terms, with as near as possible
to one-half of the directors' terms expiring on February 1 of each
year.
Sec. 370.456. INITIAL DIRECTORS. (a) Of the initial
directors, the terms of directors appointed to represent Dimmit
County, Kinney County, Uvalde County, and Zavala County expire
February 1, 2023, and the terms of directors appointed to represent
the remaining member counties expire February 1, 2026.
(b) Section 370.455(d) does not apply to an initial
director.
(c) This section expires September 1, 2027.
SECTION 2. Sections 502.402(a) and (b-1), Transportation
Code, are amended to read as follows:
(a) This section applies only to:
(1) a county that:
(A) borders the United Mexican States; and
(B) has a population of more than 250,000; [and]
(2) a county that has a population of more than 1.5
million that is coterminous with a regional mobility authority; and
(3) a member county of the Middle Rio Grande Regional
Mobility Authority, as established under Subchapter L, Chapter 370.
(b-1) The commissioners court of a county described by
Subsection (a)(1) or (2) [(a)] with a population of less than
700,000 may increase the additional fee to an amount that does not
exceed $20 if approved by a majority of the qualified voters of the
county voting on the issue at a referendum election, which the
commissioners court may order and hold for that purpose.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect January 1, 2024, but only
if the constitutional amendment proposed by the 87th Legislature,
Regular Session, 2021, to authorize the creation of a regional
mobility authority by local law is approved by the voters. If that
constitutional amendment is not approved by the voters, this Act
has no effect.