|
House Bill 4025 |
House Author: Keffer et al. |
|
Effective: Vetoed |
Senate Sponsor: Uresti et al. |
House Bill 4025 amends the Transportation Code to clarify the authority of a county to designate a county energy transportation reinvestment zone. Among other provisions, the bill revises the distribution of grants from the Texas Department of Transportation for transportation infrastructure projects located in areas of Texas affected by increased oil and gas production.
Reason Given for Veto: "In the 2011 statewide election, the voters of Texas rejected a constitutional amendment that would have given counties the authority to create tax-increment reinvestment zones. The Legislature's attempts to confer this authority on counties without a constitutional amendment have been found by three separate Attorney-General opinions to violate article VIII, section 1(a) of the Texas Constitution. House Bill 4025, in part, is an attempt to do what the Texas Constitution and multiple Attorney-General opinions prohibit. If the Legislature wants counties to have the authority to create tax-increment reinvestment zones, it must again ask the voters to amend the Constitution."