JH H.B. 883 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS URBAN AFFAIRS H.B. 883 By: Krusee 3-13-97 Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND Chapter 451 of the Transportation Code is entitled Metropolitan Rapid Transit Authorities. It contains the provisions regarding the creation of transit authorities, including their powers, management, issuance of bonds, and the makeup of the governing board. Subchapter K is entitled Boards and contains the provisions regarding the appointment of members, the filling of vacancies, and the term of office. A board consists of five members, plus additional members depending upon the distribution of population. Up to six additional members may be appointed. Two additional members are appointed if less than half the population of the principal county reside in the authority, excluding those residing in the principal municipality. Four additional board members are appointed if fifty to seventy-five percent of the population of the principal county reside in the authority, again excluding those residing in the principal municipality. If more than seventy-five percent, six additional board members are appointed. Five board members are appointed by the principal city. The additional board members are appointed by panels consisting of the mayors of other municipalities and county judges, and by the commissioners court. The number of total board members is governed by Transportation Code Section 451.501; the manner of appointment is governed by Section 451.502. PURPOSE The purpose of this bill would establish a nine member board with one member appointed by a panel consisting of the mayor of cities outside the principal county and county judges outside the principal county, for those transit authorities subject to the bill. 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. Makes inapplicable Transportation Code Section 451.501, which establishes the number of board members for those authorities with a principal city under 750,000 in population and created before July 1, 1985. Section 2. Makes inapplicable Transportation Code Section 451.502, which otherwise determines the manner of board appointments. Section 3. Adds Transportation Code Section 451.5021, applicable to transit authorities with a principal city under 750,000 population and created before July 1, 1985. Board consisting of nine members: five appointed by the principal city; one appointed by the principal county; one appointed by a panel of mayors and county judges outside the principal city and principal county; one appointed by a panel of mayors in the principal county, excluding mayor of principal city; one appointed by metropolitan planning organization. Section 4. Transitional provision. Section 5. Effective date of September 1, 1997. Section 6. Emergency clause. COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE The original bill, also applicable to transit authorities created before July 1, 1985, and with a principal city under 750,000, would have provided for an appointment for two, four, or six additional members appointed by panels of mayors and county judges, the commissioners court, and the board itself.