TWT H.B. 2462 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS


TRANSPORTATION
H.B. 2462
By: Pitts
4-5-97
Committee Report (Unamended)



BACKGROUND 

In some rural parts of Texas, sufficient and competitive freight rail
service is not available.  Though current law enables two or more rural
counties to create a rural rail transportation district, this is not
always practicable. 

PURPOSE

HB 2462 will enable an individual county to create a rural rail
transportation district to provide improvements in rail service and
service those businesses that are in need of rail transportation. 

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 Chapter 623, Acts of the 67th Texas Legislature, Regular
Session, 1981 (Article 6550c of Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), by adding
Section 3A. 

 (a) Provides that an individual county, in which rail line has been
abandoned due to bankruptcy or in which a rail line carrying three million
gross tons per mile per year or less is located, may by order of the
county commissioners court create a rural rail transportation district. 

 (b) The boundaries of a rural rail district are the boundaries of the
county. 

 (c) Enables the commissioner court of the county to designate the name of
the district and to appoint the directors of the district.  

 (d) Provides for two-year terms for the directors of the district.

 (e) Statutory requirements applicable to the directors of a rural rail
district with two or more counties are also applicable to the directors of
a rural district composed of only one county. 
 
 (f) Provides for the dissolution of a district.

SECTION 2.  Renames Section 3, Chapter 623, Acts of the 67th Texas
Legislature, Regular Session, 1981 (Article 6550c, Vernon's Texas Civil
Statutes).  

SECTION 3. Emergency clause. Effective upon passage.