By Oliveira                                           H.B. No. 1915
         76R4879 WP-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to developing, constructing, and improving highways that
 1-3     provide access to international ports of entry along the
 1-4     Texas-Mexico border.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1.  Subchapter H, Chapter 201, Transportation Code,
 1-7     is amended by adding Section 201.613 to read as follows:
 1-8           Sec. 201.613.  INTERNATIONAL PORTS OF ENTRY.  (a)  As
 1-9     authorized by Section 49-k, Article III, Texas Constitution, the
1-10     Texas Public Finance  Authority may issue general obligation bonds
1-11     in an amount not to exceed $1 billion and distribute the bond
1-12     proceeds to the department to be used as provided by Subsection
1-13     (b).
1-14           (b)  The department shall use the proceeds of bonds issued
1-15     under this section to develop, construct, and improve streets and
1-16     highways providing direct access to international ports of entry in
1-17     this state that are located on the border with the United Mexican
1-18     States or in a county bordering the United Mexican States having a
1-19     seaport.  The department may take additional measures to promote
1-20     access to and development of international ports of entry,
1-21     including the construction of inspection facilities for use by
1-22     state or federal agencies.
1-23           (c)  Bond proceeds distributed to the department under this
1-24     section shall be used only to fund a transportation project that is
 2-1     not more than 30 miles from an international port of entry in this
 2-2     state that is located on the border with the United Mexican States
 2-3     or in a county bordering the United Mexican States having a
 2-4     seaport.
 2-5           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect on the date on which the
 2-6     constitutional amendment proposed by __J.R. No. ____, 76th
 2-7     Legislature, Regular  Session, 1999, takes effect.  If that
 2-8     amendment is not approved by the voters, this Act has no effect.
 2-9           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-10     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-11     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-12     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-13     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.