BILL ANALYSIS



H.B. 2183
By: Uher
March 29, 1995
Committee Report (Unamended)


BACKGROUND

Article 1118z, V.T.C.S., authorizes cities or towns with a
population of 56,000 or more to create a mass transit department. 
The creation of a mass transit department provides the city or town
with authority to levy a sales and use tax within certain set
limits.  Lowering the population limit would allow the population
of the city or town to be consistent with the lower threshold
population range of 50,000-200,000 the U.S. Department of
Transportation apportionment.  


PURPOSE

Operating assistance is the greatest need for most small city
providers.  These needs are for specialized transit services rather
than fixed route services provided by the transit providers.  It
has not been feasible for this sector of the transit industry to
provide much long-range planning.  Since small city transit
providers have limited resources available to them at the local
level to cover theses costs, transit operators have limited
planning operations.  By lowering the population limit from 56,000
to 50,000, a greater number of cities and towns may choose to levy
taxes to provide for mass transit.


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.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Article 1118z, §2(a), V.T.C.S. to authorize an
incorporated city or town with a population of 50,000 or more
create a mass transit department.

SECTION 2. Declares an emergency in order to suspend the rules
requiring a bill be read on three separate days.



SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION

H.B. 2183 was considered in a public hearing on March 27, 1995. 
The following people testified in favor of the bill: Tom Griebel,
representing the Texas Department of Transportation.  The bill was
reported favorably, without amendment, with the recommendation that
it do pass and be printed and be sent to the Committee on Local and
Consent Calendars, by a record vote of 7 ayes, 0 nays, 0 pnv, and
2 absent.