By Berlanga H.B. No. 2211 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the authority of a political subdivision or private 1-3 entity to construct or finance the construction of a bridge to 1-4 Mexico. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. Chapter 1, Title 116, Revised Statutes, is 1-7 amended by adding Article 6674v-8 to read as follows: 1-8 Sec. 1. In this article: 1-9 (1) "Commission" means the Texas Transportation 1-10 Commission. 1-11 (2) "Political subdivision" means a county, 1-12 municipality, or special district created under state law. 1-13 (3) "Private entity" means any individual, company, 1-14 corporation or other private interest. 1-15 (4) "Region" means those geographical areas of Texas 1-16 and the United Mexican States affected by the project. 1-17 Sec. 2. (a) A political subdivision or private entity 1-18 authorized by law to construct or to finance the construction of a 1-19 bridge over the part of the Rio Grande that forms the border 1-20 between Texas and the United Mexican States shall obtain the 1-21 commission's approval for any new crossing prior to requesting 1-22 approval from the United States Secretary of State pursuant to the 1-23 International Bridge Act of 1972, 33 U.S.C. Sec. 535, et seq.. In 2-1 determining whether to approve such project, the commission shall 2-2 secure the advice and recommendations of the Texas Department of 2-3 Public Safety, the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, 2-4 the Texas Historical Commission, the Texas Department of 2-5 Agriculture, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, the Texas 2-6 Department of Commerce, and any other state agency the commission 2-7 deems appropriate to determine the necessity for such bridge. 2-8 (b) The commission shall adopt procedural and substantive 2-9 rules for the approval of construction of a bridge governed by this 2-10 section. Such rules shall include, but are not limited to 2-11 consideration of: 2-12 (1) the comments and recommendations of the state 2-13 agencies consulted pursuant to subsection (a) of this section; 2-14 (2) the financial resources available to the political 2-15 subdivision to construct or finance the construction of the bridge; 2-16 (3) the financial feasibility of the project based 2-17 upon its ability to generate revenue sufficient to finance the 2-18 construction, maintenance, operation, design, and planning of the 2-19 project; 2-20 (4) the consistency of the project with the adopted 2-21 state transportation plan and, if pertinent, the regional 2-22 transportation plan adopted by a metropolitan planning organization 2-23 having jurisdiction in the project area; and 2-24 (5) the potential impact of the bridge on: 2-25 (A) the economy of the region in which the 3-1 bridge is to be located; 3-2 (B) the environmental impacts in the region in 3-3 which the bridge is located; 3-4 (C) traffic congestion and mobility; and 3-5 (D) the free flow of trade between the United 3-6 Mexican States and the State of Texas. 3-7 (c) Prior to requesting commission approval of the project, 3-8 the political subdivision or private entity shall conduct studies 3-9 concerning the feasibility, location, and economic and 3-10 environmental impacts, and shall provide the results of such 3-11 studies and any other information the commission may require by 3-12 rule as necessary for its consideration under subsection (b) of 3-13 this section. 3-14 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 3-15 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 3-16 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-17 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-18 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 3-19 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 3-20 passage, and it is so enacted.