By: Armbrister S.B. No. 698
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
1-1 relating to research relating to transportation facilities
1-2 conducted by public senior colleges and universities for the Texas
1-3 Department of Transportation.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Sections 67.24 and 85.29, Education Code, are
1-6 amended to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 67.24. Research and Experimentation for Texas
1-8 Department of Transportation. (a) The department may contract
1-9 with the university for the university to conduct research relating
1-10 to transportation, including the economics, planning, design,
1-11 construction, maintenance, or operation of transportation
1-12 facilities.
1-13 (b) An agreement entered into under this section is not
1-14 subject to Chapter 771, Government Code.
1-15 (c) The [state] comptroller [of public accounts] may draw
1-16 proper warrants in favor of the university based on vouchers or
1-17 claims submitted by the university through the department [Texas
1-18 Department of Transportation] covering reasonable fees and charges
1-19 for services rendered by members of the staff of the university
1-20 system to the department [Texas Department of Transportation] and
1-21 for equipment and materials necessary for research and
1-22 experimentation under a contract entered into under this section.
1-23 (d) The comptroller [in all phases of highway activity,
2-1 economics, materials, specifications, design of roadways,
2-2 construction, maintenance, pavement and structures, drainage,
2-3 traffic control, safety, the economics of highway design and
2-4 construction, and other fields of highway design, construction,
2-5 maintenance, or operation, based on an agreement between the Texas
2-6 Department of Transportation and the university in accordance with
2-7 the provisions of Texas Highway Department Minute Order Number
2-8 52742, dated May 24, 1963; and the state treasurer] shall pay
2-9 warrants [so] issued under this section against any funds
2-10 appropriated by the legislature to the department [Texas Department
2-11 of Transportation for the construction and maintenance of highways,
2-12 roads, and bridges]. The payments made to the university shall be
2-13 credited and deposited to local institutional funds under its
2-14 control.
2-15 (e) In this section:
2-16 (1) "Department" means the Texas Department of
2-17 Transportation.
2-18 (2) "Transportation facilities" means highways,
2-19 turnpikes, airports, railroads, including high-speed railroads,
2-20 bicycle and pedestrian facilities, waterways, pipelines, electric
2-21 utility facilities, communication lines and facilities, public
2-22 transportation facilities, port facilities, and facilities
2-23 appurtenant to other transportation facilities.
2-24 Sec. 85.29. Research and Experimentation for Texas
2-25 Department of Transportation. (a) The department may contract
3-1 with the university system or a component or agency of the
3-2 university system to conduct research relating to transportation,
3-3 including the economics, planning, design, construction,
3-4 maintenance, or operation of transportation facilities.
3-5 (b) An agreement entered into under this section is not
3-6 subject to Chapter 771, Government Code.
3-7 (c) The [state] comptroller [of public accounts] may draw
3-8 proper warrants in favor of any part of the university system based
3-9 on vouchers or claims submitted by the system through the
3-10 department [Texas Department of Transportation] covering reasonable
3-11 fees and charges for services rendered by members of the staff of
3-12 the system to the department [Texas Department of Transportation]
3-13 and for equipment and materials necessary for research and
3-14 experimentation under a contract entered into under this section.
3-15 (d) The comptroller [in all phases of highway activity,
3-16 economics, materials, specifications, design of roadways,
3-17 construction, maintenance, pavement and structures, traffic
3-18 control, safety, the economics of highway design and construction,
3-19 and other fields of highway design, construction, maintenance, or
3-20 operation, based on an agreement between the State Highway
3-21 Department and the Texas Agricultural and Mechanical College System
3-22 as passed by the State Highway Department on September 29, 1948,
3-23 and recorded by the Texas Department of Transportation as Minute
3-24 Order Number 25396; and the state treasurer] shall pay warrants
3-25 [so] issued under this section against any funds appropriated by
4-1 the legislature to the department [Texas Department of
4-2 Transportation for the construction and maintenance of highways,
4-3 roads, and bridges]. The payments made to the system shall be
4-4 credited and deposited to local institutional funds under its
4-5 control.
4-6 (e) In this section:
4-7 (1) "Department" means the Texas Department of
4-8 Transportation.
4-9 (2) "Transportation facilities" means highways,
4-10 turnpikes, airports, railroads, including high-speed railroads,
4-11 bicycle and pedestrian facilities, waterways, pipelines, electric
4-12 utility facilities, communication lines and facilities, public
4-13 transportation facilities, port facilities, and facilities
4-14 appurtenant to other transportation facilities.
4-15 SECTION 2. Subtitle H, Title 3, Education Code, is amended
4-16 by adding Chapter 150 to read as follows:
4-17 CHAPTER 150. TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH
4-18 Sec. 150.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
4-19 (1) "Department" means the Texas Department of
4-20 Transportation.
4-21 (2) "Public senior college or university" has the
4-22 meaning assigned by Section 61.003.
4-23 (3) "Transportation facilities" means highways,
4-24 turnpikes, airports, railroads, including high-speed railroads,
4-25 bicycle and pedestrian facilities, waterways, pipelines, electric
5-1 utility facilities, communication lines and facilities, public
5-2 transportation facilities, port facilities, and facilities
5-3 appurtenant to other transportation facilities.
5-4 Sec. 150.002. CONTRACTS. (a) The department may contract
5-5 with a public senior college or university for the college or
5-6 university to conduct research relating to transportation,
5-7 including the economics, planning, design, construction,
5-8 maintenance, or operation of transportation facilities.
5-9 (b) An agreement entered into under this chapter is not
5-10 subject to Chapter 771, Government Code.
5-11 Sec. 150.003. PAYMENT FOR SERVICES, MATERIALS, AND
5-12 EQUIPMENT. (a) The comptroller may draw a warrant in favor of a
5-13 public senior college or university based on a voucher or claim
5-14 submitted by the college or university through the department for
5-15 services rendered and materials and equipment provided by the
5-16 college or university under a contract entered into under this
5-17 chapter.
5-18 (b) The comptroller shall pay a warrant issued under this
5-19 section out of money appropriated by the legislature to the
5-20 department. Payments received by a public senior college or
5-21 university under this section are local funds of the college or
5-22 university.
5-23 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
5-24 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
5-25 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
6-1 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
6-2 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
6-3 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
6-4 passage, and it is so enacted.