HBA-GUM H.B. 2177 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2177
By: Woolley
Urban Affairs
3/30/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, the Harris County Metropolitan Transit Authority (METRO) has 9
directors on its board. Five are appointed by the City of Houston Mayor and
confirmed by its city council, two are appointed by the Harris County
Judge, and two by the mayors of the other cities in METRO's service area.
H.B. 2177 changes the composition of the board by providing that three
members be appointed by Houston's mayor, three by the Harris County Judge,
two by the mayors of the other member cities, and one be jointly appointed
by the Harris County Judge and Houston's mayor.  

In addition, the law does not enable Harris County METRO to use the member
unit withdrawal provisions contained in the Transportation Code.  H.B. 2177
amends Section 451.617, Transportation Code (relating to use of the member
unit withdrawal provision in the code), to include Harris County METRO. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 451.501(g), Transportation Code, to include a
transit authority described by Section 451.5022(a), as added by this bill,
among the entities to which this section (Board Membership) does not apply. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Sections 451.502(a) and (f), Transportation Code, to
make conforming changes. 

SECTION 3.  Amends Subchapter K, Chapter 451, Transportation Code, by
adding Section 451.5022, as follows: 

Sec. 451.5022.  BOARD COMPOSITION; AUTHORITY HAVING A PRINCIPAL
MUNICIPALITY WITH A POPULATION GREATER THAN 1.2 MILLION.  (a)  Provides
that this section applies only to the board of a metropolitan transit
authority (board, authority) having a principal municipality with a
population of more than 1.2 million. 

(b)  Provides that the board is composed of nine members, to be appointed
as follows: 

(1) three members appointed by the mayor of the principal municipality who
are subject to confirmation by the governing body of the principal
municipality; 

(2)  three members appointed by the commissioners court of the principal
county; 

(3)  two members appointed by a panel composed of the mayors of the
municipalities in the authority, excluding the mayor of the principal
municipality and the county judges of the counties having unincorporated
area in the authority, excluding the county judge of the principal county; 

 (4)  one member to be appointed jointly by the mayor of the principal
municipality, subject to confirmation by the governing body of the
principal municipality, and the commissioners court of the principal
county. 

(c)  Defines "principal county."

SECTION 4.  Amends Section 451.602, Transportation Code, to make a
conforming change. 

SECTION 5.  Provides that this section applies only to an authority
governed by a board to which Section 451.5022, Transportation Code, as
added by this Act, applies.  Makes application of this Act prospective. 

SECTION 6.  Emergency clause.
  Effective date: upon passage.