| 1 | 1 | | By: Cain H.B. No. 3019 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 7 | 7 | | AN ACT |
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| 8 | 8 | | relating to the authority of certain metropolitan rapid transit |
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| 9 | 9 | | authorities and related entities to request and receive federal |
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| 10 | 10 | | funds. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 451, Transportation Code, is amended by |
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| 13 | 13 | | adding Section 451.069 to read as follows: |
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| 14 | 14 | | Sec. 451.069. SUBMISSION OF REQUESTS FOR FEDERAL FUNDS; |
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| 15 | 15 | | CERTAIN AUTHORITIES. (a) This section applies only to an authority |
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| 16 | 16 | | confirmed before July 1, 1985, in which the principal municipality |
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| 17 | 17 | | had a population of less than 850,000 at the time of the authority's |
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| 18 | 18 | | creation, and to any local government corporation created under |
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| 19 | 19 | | Chapter 431 of the Transportation Code and Chapter 394 of the Local |
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| 20 | 20 | | Government Code to which the authority appoints one or more members |
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| 21 | 21 | | of the governing body. |
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| 22 | 22 | | (b) The authority, or any other entity described in |
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| 23 | 23 | | subsection (a), may not apply for or receive federal funds, |
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| 24 | 24 | | including capital investment grants, to be used to support |
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| 25 | 25 | | construction or operation of a light rail transit system without |
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| 26 | 26 | | the approval of the governor. |
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| 27 | 27 | | (c) In determining whether to grant an approval under |
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| 28 | 28 | | Subsection (b), the governor shall consider: |
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| 29 | 29 | | (1) whether the governing body of the principal |
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| 30 | 30 | | municipality has taken actions to adequately address public health |
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| 31 | 31 | | and safety issues impacting individuals experiencing homelessness |
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| 32 | 32 | | and citizens of the municipality, including precluding camping in |
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| 33 | 33 | | public places and areas around transit stops, stations, and other |
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| 34 | 34 | | right-of-way so as to enhance the safety of users of the transit |
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| 35 | 35 | | authority system; |
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| 36 | 36 | | (2) whether the principal municipality has taken |
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| 37 | 37 | | adequate measures to enforce voter-approved restrictions against |
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| 38 | 38 | | camping, sitting or lying in public spaces so as to protect public |
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| 39 | 39 | | safety and the safety of users of the transit authority system; and |
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| 40 | 40 | | (3) the degree to which the request for funding will |
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| 41 | 41 | | compete with requests from other entities in Texas and therefore |
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| 42 | 42 | | result in a competitive disadvantage for the state. |
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| 43 | 43 | | (d) For purposes of determining whether the requirement of |
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| 44 | 44 | | subsection (c)(2) has been satisfied the governor my request that |
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| 45 | 45 | | the office of the attorney general review any voter-approved |
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| 46 | 46 | | restrictions and actions taken subsequent thereto and provide an |
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| 47 | 47 | | opinion as to whether the principal municipality is enforcing the |
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| 48 | 48 | | restrictions in accordance with the voter-approved proposition. |
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| 49 | 49 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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