HBA-TYH H.B. 1980 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1980 By: Hill Urban Affairs 7/13/1999 Enrolled BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE When Section 456.008, Transportation Code, was enacted, metropolitan transit authorities (MTAs) received state funding and were bound by the reporting requirement. Because MTAs no longer receive state funding, there has been a question as to whether they must continue to prepare the reports. The performance measures listed in this section prior to the 76th Legislature related directly to data required by the Federal Transit Administration for urbanized operators. The reporting information was necessary to assist the Texas Department of Transportation in developing the state transportation plan and was useful in performing rail or transportation corridor planning. H.B. 1980 clarifies that MTAs are required to annually report performance measures established by the Texas Transportation Commission (commission). Also, since the performance measures listed in the statute may be inappropriate or burdensome for the rural systems, this bill authorizes the commission to establish different performance measures for different types of systems. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking authority is expressly delegated to the Texas Transportation Commission in SECTION 1 (Section 456.008, Transportation Code) of this bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Sections 456.008(a) and (b), Transportation Code, as follows: (a) Requires the Texas Transportation Commission (commission) by rule to prepare and issue a report on the performance of public transportation providers in this state that received state or federal funding for the previous year. (b) Requires the commission to establish a performance-based reporting system for all public transportation providers. Authorizes the commission to establish for different sectors of the transit industry different performance measures that assess the efficiency, effectiveness, and safety of the public transportation providers. Deletes text setting forth the required elements of a report. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 3. Emergency clause.