By: Canales H.B. No. 4473
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a study by the Texas Department of Transportation of the
construction and maintenance of certain county road systems in this
state.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 250, Transportation Code, is amended by
adding Section 250.003 to read as follows:
Sec. 250.003. STUDY REGARDING COUNTY ROAD SYSTEMS. (a) The
department, in consultation with the Texas A&M Transportation
Institute, shall conduct a study of the construction and
maintenance of county roads and bridges under the five systems of
county road administration described by Chapter 251 and
Subchapters A, B, C, and D of Chapter 252.
(b) The study described by Subsection (a) shall:
(1) provide an inventory of what system of county road
administration each county in this state has adopted and the date on
which it was adopted;
(2) provide, for the 20 most populous counties in each
of the five systems of county road administration and after
adjusting for inflation:
(A) the average and median cost of the
construction and maintenance of county roads during the most recent
25-year period or the period since the adoption of the county's
current system of county road administration; and
(B) an average per-mile cost comparison of
completed road projects among the five systems of county road
administration during the most recent 25-year period or the period
since the adoption of the county's current system of county road
administration; and
(3) rank from most economical to least economical for
taxpayers the systems of county road administration for the
construction and maintenance of county roads and describe the
reasoning behind each rank placement.
(c) Not later than December 1, 2026, the department shall
submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the
house, and each legislative committee with jurisdiction over
transportation issues a written report that includes the results of
the study conducted under this section and any associated
recommendations.
(d) This section expires January 1, 2027.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2025.