1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the composition of the board of directors of certain
1-3 metropolitan transit authorities.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 451.501, Transportation Code, is amended
1-6 by adding Subsection (g) to read as follows:
1-7 (g) This section does not apply to the board of an authority
1-8 described by Section 451.5021(a).
1-9 SECTION 2. Section 451.502, Transportation Code, is amended
1-10 by adding Subsection (f) to read as follows:
1-11 (f) This section does not apply to the board of an authority
1-12 described by Section 451.5021(a).
1-13 SECTION 3. Subchapter K, Chapter 451, Transportation Code,
1-14 is amended by adding Section 451.5021 to read as follows:
1-15 Sec. 451.5021. BOARD COMPOSITION; CERTAIN AUTHORITIES.
1-16 (a) This section applies only to the board of an authority in
1-17 which each member of the governing body of the principal
1-18 municipality is elected at large.
1-19 (b) The board is composed of seven members who are appointed
1-20 as follows:
1-21 (1) two members representing the general public
1-22 appointed by the metropolitan planning organization designated by
1-23 the governor that serves the area of the authority;
1-24 (2) two members appointed by the governing body of the
2-1 principal municipality;
2-2 (3) one member appointed by the commissioners court of
2-3 the principal county;
2-4 (4) one member appointed by a panel composed of the
2-5 mayors of all the municipalities in the authority located in the
2-6 principal county of the authority, excluding the mayor of the
2-7 principal municipality; and
2-8 (5) one member appointed by a panel composed of:
2-9 (A) the mayors of all municipalities in the
2-10 authority located outside the principal county of the authority,
2-11 excluding the mayor of the principal municipality;
2-12 (B) the county judges of the counties having
2-13 unincorporated area in the authority, excluding the county judge of
2-14 the principal county; and
2-15 (C) the presiding officer of each municipal
2-16 utility district any portion of which is located outside the
2-17 principal county.
2-18 (c) Only a member of a metropolitan planning organization
2-19 who is an elected officer of a political subdivision in which a tax
2-20 of the authority is collected is entitled to vote on an appointment
2-21 under Subsection (b)(1).
2-22 (d) A person appointed under Subsection (b)(2), (3), (4), or
2-23 (5):
2-24 (1) must be a member of the governing body:
2-25 (A) of the political subdivision that is
2-26 entitled to make the appointment; or
2-27 (B) over which a member of the panel entitled to
3-1 make an appointment presides;
3-2 (2) vacates the office of board member if the person
3-3 ceases to be a member of the governing body described by
3-4 Subdivision (1);
3-5 (3) serves on the board as an additional duty of the
3-6 office held on the governing body described by Subdivision (1); and
3-7 (4) is not entitled to compensation for serving as a
3-8 member of the board.
3-9 (e) A panel appointing a member under this section operates
3-10 in the manner prescribed by Section 451.503.
3-11 (f) In this section, "principal county" has the meaning
3-12 assigned by Section 451.501(f).
3-13 SECTION 4. (a) This section applies only to an authority
3-14 governed by a board to which Section 451.5021, Transportation Code,
3-15 as added by this Act, applies.
3-16 (b) Effective immediately, the terms of all members serving
3-17 on the board on the effective date of this Act expire. The
3-18 authority is managed by a temporary board consisting of five
3-19 members appointed by the executive committee of the metropolitan
3-20 planning organization designated by the governor that serves the
3-21 area of the authority. The temporary board has all the powers of a
3-22 board under Chapter 451, Transportation Code. Only a member of the
3-23 executive committee who is elected from a political subdivision in
3-24 which a tax of the authority is collected is entitled to vote on an
3-25 appointment under this section. The terms of all members serving
3-26 on the temporary board expire when a majority of the members of the
3-27 board appointed under Section 451.5021, Transportation Code, as
4-1 added by this Act, take office.
4-2 (c) The governmental entities entitled to make appointments
4-3 under Section 451.5021, Transportation Code, as added by this Act,
4-4 shall make the initial appointments as soon as practical after the
4-5 effective date of Section 3 of this Act.
4-6 SECTION 5. This Act takes effect August 15, 1997, except
4-7 that this section and Section 4 of this Act take effect
4-8 immediately.
4-9 SECTION 6. The importance of this legislation and the
4-10 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
4-11 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
4-12 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-13 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
4-14 and that this Act take effect and be in force according to its
4-15 terms, and it is so enacted.
_______________________________ _______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 883 was passed by the House on April
17, 1997, by a non-record vote; and that the House concurred in
Senate amendments to H.B. No. 883 on May 21, 1997, by the following
vote: Yeas 141, Nays 0, 1 present, not voting.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 883 was passed by the Senate, with
amendments, on May 17, 1997, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays
0.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: _____________________
Date
_____________________
Governor