By Conley                                             H.B. No. 1663
       74R2471 GCH-F
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the construction, reconstruction, and maintenance of
    1-3  improvements by mass transit authorities.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Section 6(x), Chapter 141, Acts of the 63rd
    1-6  Legislature, Regular Session, 1973 (Article 1118x, Vernon's Texas
    1-7  Civil Statutes), is amended to read as follows:
    1-8        (x)  Except as provided by Subsection (u) of this section, an
    1-9  authority that was confirmed at a tax election under Section 5 of
   1-10  this Act before January 1, 1985, <other than an authority that is
   1-11  authorized under Subsection (e) of Section 6C of this Act to
   1-12  include regional economic development facilities in its station or
   1-13  terminal complex,> may, within the boundaries of the authority,
   1-14  construct, reconstruct, or maintain any sidewalk, hiking trail, or
   1-15  biking trail.  An authority subject to this subsection also may
   1-16  install or maintain streetlights.  In performing these activities,
   1-17  an authority may perform such drainage improvement or
   1-18  drainage-related maintenance activities as are reasonable and
   1-19  necessary for the effective use of the transportation facility
   1-20  being constructed, reconstructed, or maintained.  An authority may
   1-21  exercise any portion of the powers granted by this subsection
   1-22  through contracts or other agreements with other governmental
   1-23  entities and, in particular, may enter into agreements under
   1-24  Chapter 791, Government Code, with state agencies enumerated in
    2-1  Section 771.002, Government Code.
    2-2        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
    2-3  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-4  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-5  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-6  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
    2-7  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
    2-8  passage, and it is so enacted.