76R11518 CLG-D
By Oliveira H.B. No. 1918
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1918:
By Alexander C.S.H.B. No. 1918
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the development of a statewide multimodal
1-3 transportation plan.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 201.601, Transportation Code, is amended
1-6 to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 201.601. STATEWIDE TRANSPORTATION PLAN. (a) The
1-8 department shall develop a statewide transportation plan that meets
1-9 the requirements of 23 U.S.C. Section 135, as amended, and contains
1-10 all modes of transportation, including:
1-11 (1) highways and turnpikes;
1-12 (2) aviation;
1-13 (3) mass transportation;
1-14 (4) railroads [and high-speed railroads]; and
1-15 (5) water traffic.
1-16 (b) In addition to the planning factors outlined in the
1-17 statewide transportation plan described by Subsection (a) and any
1-18 applicable federal statutes and regulations, the department shall,
1-19 in developing the plan:
1-20 (1) seek written and oral comments from
1-21 representatives of the airline, maritime, shipping, and railroad
1-22 industries in this state;
1-23 (2) consider issues raised by staff or representatives
1-24 of the Texas Transportation Institute at Texas A&M University, the
2-1 Center for Transportation Research at The University of Texas at
2-2 Austin, and any other transportation council, center, or
2-3 institution in this state;
2-4 (3) develop recommendations concerning linkages
2-5 between statewide transportation facilities and national and
2-6 international markets;
2-7 (4) develop recommendations concerning transportation
2-8 linkages between rural communities in this state and national and
2-9 international markets and between the border region and national
2-10 and international markets;
2-11 (5) develop strategies to make ports located on the
2-12 Gulf Coast of this state the ports of choice for commerce in the
2-13 United States;
2-14 (6) develop strategies to eliminate congestion at
2-15 international border crossings in this state;
2-16 (7) address and recommend means to facilitate access
2-17 to ports located on the Pacific Coast of Mexico; and
2-18 (8) address funding for the plan [In developing the
2-19 plan, the department shall seek opinions and assistance from other
2-20 state agencies and political subdivisions that have responsibility
2-21 for the modes of transportation listed by Subsection (a). As
2-22 appropriate, the department and such an agency or political
2-23 subdivision shall enter into a memorandum of understanding relating
2-24 to the planning of transportation services].
2-25 SECTION 2. Subchapter H, Chapter 201, Transportation Code,
2-26 is amended by adding Section 201.613 to read as follows:
2-27 Sec. 201.613. TRANSPORTATION PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (a)
3-1 In this section, "border region" has the meaning assigned by
3-2 Section 481.001, Government Code.
3-3 (b) The commission shall appoint a transportation plan
3-4 advisory committee to coordinate and oversee the development of the
3-5 statewide transportation plan required by Section 201.601. In
3-6 making appointments to the advisory committee, the commission shall
3-7 appoint members who represent transportation interests and who come
3-8 from different geographic regions of this state. At least one
3-9 member must be a resident of the border region.
3-10 (c) A member of the advisory committee serves at the will of
3-11 the commission.
3-12 (d) A member of the advisory committee is not entitled to
3-13 receive compensation for serving as a member but is entitled to
3-14 reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred by the member while
3-15 performing the member's duties on the advisory committee.
3-16 (e) Except as provided by this section, the advisory
3-17 committee is subject to Chapter 2110, Government Code.
3-18 SECTION 3. Not later than January 1, 2001, the Texas
3-19 Department of Transportation shall complete the plan required by
3-20 Section 201.601, Transportation Code, as amended by this Act, and
3-21 submit the plan to the governor and legislature.
3-22 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
3-23 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the
3-24 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-25 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-26 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-27 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.