TWT H.B. 2353 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS TRANSPORTATION H.B. 2353 By: Finnell 4-5-97 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND Rural rail transportation districts, like most rural governmental entities, usually have a small group of people that will agree to serve on administrative boards. Once established rural rail transportation boards often are unaware of the information and services available to them through the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI). Finally many counties seeking ways to save rural rail lines are not aware of their ability to create a rural rail transportation district. PURPOSE House Bill 2353 seeks to enlarge the pool of citizens eligible to serve on rural rail transportation district boards. It also requires that all Texas counties be made aware of their ability to create rural rail transportation districts and that the resulting districts be made aware of the services and information that the TTI can provide. 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 4, Chapter 623, Acts of the 67th Legislature, Regular Session, 1981 (Article 6550c, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), by adding Subsection (g) which would allow an elected officer of the state or a political subdivision of the state, who is not prohibited by the Texas Constitution from serving, to serve on a rural rail transportation board. SECTION 2. Amends Section 3, Chapter 623, Acts of the 67th Legislature, Regular Session, 1981 (Article 6550c, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), by adding Subsection (f) which requires the boards of newly created rural rail transportation districts to provide notice to the TTI of their creation and subsequently requires the TTI to inform the district of services and information which the TTI can provide. SECTION 3. Requires (a) that the Railroad Commission inform by January 1, 1998, each county commissioners court of the county's ability to created a rural rail transportation district and (b) that the TTI provide by January 1, 1998, each existing rural transportation district a guide to the services and information that the TTI provides. SECTION 4. Emergency clause. Effective upon passage.