BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1643

By: Creighton

Transportation

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The Port of Beaumont serves as the "public need" at the upper reaches of the Neches River. For more than 50 years, the boundaries of the Port of Beaumont Navigation District of Jefferson County, Texas, have been used to capture tonnage attributed to the Port of Beaumont, starting at the Rainbow Bridge located in Port Arthur, Texas, and following the thread of the Neches River up to the Port of Beaumont. A recent review by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of these boundaries called for legislative changes regarding the boundaries in which these tonnages are allocated. S.B. 1643 seeks to address this issue by clarifying in statute the statistical boundaries of the Port of Beaumont Navigation District of Jefferson County, Texas.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 1643 amends the Special District Local Laws Code to expand the territory of the Port of Beaumont Navigation District of Jefferson County, Texas, to include as a special purpose area two tracts of land and water as specified by the bill. The bill prohibits the district from imposing a tax in the special purpose area and authorizes waterborne commercial cargo and vessel movements originating in or departing from the area to be attributed as waterborne commercial cargo or vessel movements originating in or departing from the district for the purpose of reporting to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under applicable federal law. The inclusion of the special purpose area in the district does not affect any powers or duties exercised in the special purpose area by the Sabine-Neches Navigation District or the Orange County Navigation and Port District.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2021.