By Woolley H.B. No. 2177
76R6908 WP-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the governing board and territory of certain
1-3 metropolitan rapid transit authorities.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 451.501(g), Transportation Code, is
1-6 amended to read as follows:
1-7 (g) This section does not apply to the board of an authority
1-8 described by Section 451.5021(a) or 451.5022(a).
1-9 SECTION 2. Sections 451.502(a) and (f), Transportation Code,
1-10 are amended to read as follows:
1-11 (a) The five board members under Section 451.501(a)(1) are
1-12 appointed by the governing body of the principal municipality [,
1-13 except in an authority having a principal municipality with a
1-14 population of more than 1.2 million, the five board members are
1-15 appointed by the mayor of the principal municipality and are
1-16 subject to confirmation by the governing body of the principal
1-17 municipality].
1-18 (f) This section does not apply to the board of an authority
1-19 described by Section 451.5021(a) or 451.5022(a).
1-20 SECTION 3. Subchapter K, Chapter 451, Transportation Code,
1-21 is amended by adding Section 451.5022 to read as follows:
1-22 Sec. 451.5022. BOARD COMPOSITION; AUTHORITY HAVING A
1-23 PRINCIPAL MUNICIPALITY WITH A POPULATION GREATER THAN 1.2 MILLION.
1-24 (a) This section applies only to the board of an authority having
2-1 a principal municipality with a population of more than 1.2
2-2 million.
2-3 (b) The board is composed of nine members who are appointed
2-4 as follows:
2-5 (1) three members appointed by the mayor of the
2-6 principal municipality who are subject to confirmation by the
2-7 governing body of the principal municipality;
2-8 (2) three members appointed by the commissioners court
2-9 of the principal county;
2-10 (3) two members appointed by a panel composed of:
2-11 (A) the mayors of the municipalities in the
2-12 authority, excluding the mayor of the principal municipality; and
2-13 (B) the county judges of the counties having
2-14 unincorporated area in the authority, excluding the county judge of
2-15 the principal county; and
2-16 (4) one member to be appointed jointly by the mayor of
2-17 the principal municipality, subject to confirmation by the
2-18 governing body of the principal municipality, and the commissioners
2-19 court of the principal county.
2-20 (c) In this section, "principal county" has the meaning
2-21 assigned by Section 451.501(f).
2-22 SECTION 4. Section 451.602, Transportation Code, is amended
2-23 to read as follows:
2-24 Sec. 451.602. AUTHORITIES COVERED BY SUBCHAPTER. Except as
2-25 provided by Section 451.617, this subchapter applies only to an
2-26 authority in which:
2-27 (1) the principal municipality has a population of
3-1 less than 750,000 and that was confirmed before July 1, 1985; or
3-2 (2) the principal municipality has a population of
3-3 more than 1.2 million.
3-4 SECTION 5. (a) This section applies only to an authority
3-5 governed by a board to which Section 451.5022, Transportation Code,
3-6 as added by this Act, applies.
3-7 (b) The changes in law made by this Act do not affect the
3-8 entitlement of a member serving on the board immediately before the
3-9 effective date of this Act to continue to carry out the board's
3-10 functions for the remainder of the member's term. The changes in
3-11 law apply only to a member appointed on or after an election to
3-12 change the composition of the board under Section 451.5022,
3-13 Transportation Code, as added by this Act, has been successful.
3-14 This Act does not prohibit a person who is a member of the board on
3-15 the effective date of this Act from being reappointed to the board
3-16 after a successful election if the person has the qualifications
3-17 required for a member under Section 451.5022, Transportation Code,
3-18 as added by this Act.
3-19 SECTION 6. The importance of this legislation and the
3-20 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-21 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-22 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-23 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-24 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
3-25 passage, and it is so enacted.