Enrolled Bill Summary

            Senate Bill 1282 amends the Transportation Code to establish a port access account fund and to require the Texas Department of Economic Development to pay for certain port transportation or facility projects and port studies out of the fund. Any amount that the department contributes from the fund to such projects must be matched or exceeded by funds from a port authority or navigation district. The bill also establishes the Texas Port Transportation and Economic Development Advisory Committee and requires the committee to prepare a port mission plan; review, evaluate, and make recommendations to the department relating to projects funded by the program; and maintain certain trade data information. The committee also is required to prepare a two-year port capital program to define its goals and objectives concerning the development of port facilities and an intermodal transportation system. The program must be updated annually and provided to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the department.