TWT H.B. 1692 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS TRANSPORTATION H.B. 1692 By: Eiland 4-15-97 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND Under current law, Boards of Trustees of harbor and port facilities are limited to issuing bonds and other obligations. Thus, it is unclear if a board may act for another purpose, such as owning property. In addition, the power and authority given to a board is unclear in three subsections of the law: whether certain contracts or expenditures are exempt from competitive bidding; whether they may own, maintain and operate transportation facilities; and the rights, privileges and duties of peace officers employed. PURPOSE H.B. 1692 clarifies the purpose of the Boards of Trustees of port and harbor facilities and several of the powers specifically granted. 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 Section 3(b), Chapter 341, Acts of the 57th Legislature, Regular Session, 1961 (Article 1187f, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), to expressly state that the board of trustees may act for other purposes than solely issuing bonds and other obligation in managing the facilities. Amends Subsection (6) to allow any exemptions from competitive bidding that are allowed in the general exemptions for municipalities or other applicable law. Deletes a restriction on peace officers employed by the board in Subsection (12) to comply with general peace officer legal requirements. Adds Subsection (13) to clarify that a board may accept responsibility for operating, maintaining, and otherwise handling the affairs of transportation facilities. SECTION 2. Emergency clause. Effective upon passage.