|
House Bill 2142 |
House Author: McClendon et al. |
|
Effective: Vetoed |
Senate Sponsor: Carona |
House Bill 2142 amends the Transportation Code to specify that the authority of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to engage in marketing, advertising, or other activities is for providing information relating to the status of pending or ongoing toll projects, rather than for promoting the development and use of toll projects, and that the authority to enter into necessary contracts or agreements is for procuring marketing, advertising, or informational, rather than other promotional, services from outside service providers. The bill establishes that these provisions do not authorize TxDOT to engage in marketing, advertising, or other activities for the purpose of influencing public opinion about the use of toll roads or the use of tolls as a financial mechanism.
Reason Given for Veto: "House Bill No. 2142 limits the Texas Department of Transportation's ability to market or advertise the use of toll roads or tolling as a method of paying for highway projects, preventing the state from advertising resources such as toll tags. Marketing toll roads as a user-fee-based alternative to congested highways is important to relieving congestion on other state roads and keeping Texas moving."