BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 2175

By: Creighton

Transportation

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Concerns have been raised regarding the official boundaries of the Orange County Navigation and Port District for purposes of attributing waterborne cargo volumes to the district. There have been calls to ensure that tonnage from private or public facilities along the Neches River, with respect to the Port of Beaumont's port facilities located within Orange County, will not be considered as being an overlap count with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' tonnage numbers reported by the Port of Orange. S.B. 2175 seeks to address this issue by clarifying the boundaries of the district for the sole purpose of attributing waterborne cargo volumes originating or departing within those boundaries.

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. 2175 amends the Special District Local Laws Code to designate a tract of land and water as specified by the bill as a special purpose area of the Orange County Navigation and Port District of Orange County, Texas. The bill establishes the following:

·         waterborne commercial cargo and vessel movements originating in or departing from the special purpose area may be attributed as waterborne commercial cargo or vessel movements originating in or departing from the Port of Beaumont Navigation District of Jefferson County, Texas, for the purpose of reporting to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under applicable federal law; and

·         waterborne commercial cargo and vessel movements originating in or departing from the territory of the district not including the special purpose area may be attributed as waterborne commercial cargo or vessel movements originating in or departing from the Orange County Navigation and Port District of Orange County, Texas, for that purpose.

EFFECTIVE DATE

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