76R9052 JD-F By Bosse H.B. No. 2159 Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2159: By Alexander C.S.H.B. No. 2159 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the retainage of payments under certain contracts 1-3 entered into by the Texas Department of Transportation for 1-4 improvements to state highways. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. Section 223.010, Transportation Code, is amended 1-7 by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (h) to read as 1-8 follows: 1-9 (a) Five percent of the contract price shall be retained 1-10 until the entire improvement has been completed and accepted, 1-11 except as provided by Subsection (h). 1-12 (h) This subsection applies only to a contract that provides 1-13 for a separate period for performing vegetative establishment or 1-14 maintenance or a related activity following construction of an 1-15 improvement. Before the entire improvement is accepted, the 1-16 department may release a portion of the amount retained under 1-17 Subsection (a) at the time construction of the improvement is 1-18 completed but no more than the amount sufficient to ensure 1-19 compliance with the contract. 1-20 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 1-21 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-22 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-23 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-24 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-1 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-2 passage, and it is so enacted.