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.