By McReynolds, Moreno of El Paso, Pickett, H.B. No. 2598 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to plans and specifications for projects on public 1-3 rights-of-way. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Section 5, Article 9102, Revised Statutes, is 1-6 amended by adding Subsections (i) and (j) to read as follows: 1-7 (i) Employees of the Texas Department of Transportation 1-8 responsible for the approval of plans and specifications for a 1-9 project on a public right-of-way shall complete applicable training 1-10 offered by the department. The Texas Department of Transportation 1-11 shall reimburse the department for the actual cost incurred by the 1-12 department in providing the training. 1-13 (j) The Texas Department of Transportation shall submit to 1-14 the department plans and specifications for each project 1-15 constructed on a public right-of-way containing pedestrian 1-16 facilities funded in whole or part by the Texas Department of 1-17 Transportation to ensure compliance with the accessibility 1-18 standards adopted under this article. Before November 1 of each 1-19 year the Texas Department of Transportation shall submit to the 1-20 department a report on the Texas Department of Transportation's 1-21 actions to comply with those standards in connection with each 1-22 project constructed on a public right-of-way containing pedestrian 1-23 facilities funded in whole or part by the Texas Department of 1-24 Transportation during the preceding fiscal year. This subsection 1-25 expires November 1, 2001. 2-1 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 2-2 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-3 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-4 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-5 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-6 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-7 passage, and it is so enacted.