By Eiland H.B. No. 3737 76R9334 T A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the creation of the Port Regionalization and Megaport 1-3 Advisory Committee. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. The Texas Department of Transportation shall 1-6 establish the Port Regionalization and Megaport Advisory Committee 1-7 for the purposes of studying the issues of port regionalization and 1-8 the development of a megaport. 1-9 SECTION 2. (a) The committee shall issue a report to the 1-10 77th Legislature detailing recommendations on whether a regional 1-11 port should be created and what its structure, powers and authority 1-12 would be. The committee shall also address whether a megaport 1-13 should be developed, including where the megaport should be 1-14 developed if one is recommended, who will operate it and how it 1-15 will be built. 1-16 (b) The committee shall contain the following members: 1-17 (1) the County Judges of Chambers County, Galveston 1-18 County, Harris County and Brazoria County; 1-19 (2) four members, each representing one of the 1-20 following ports in this state: 1-21 (A) Galveston 1-22 (B) Houston 1-23 (C) Texas City 1-24 (D) Freeport; 2-1 (3) One member representing pilots selected from among 2-2 the pilots of Galveston/Texas City, Houston and Freeport; 2-3 (4) One member representing trucking interests, 2-4 appointed by the Texas Railroad Commission; 2-5 (5) One member representing railroad interests, 2-6 appointed by the Texas Railroad Commission; 2-7 (6) One member representing barge interests, appointed 2-8 by the Texas Waterway Operators Association; 2-9 (7) One member from the San Antonio area, appointed by 2-10 the Governor; 2-11 (8) One member from the Dallas area, appointed by the 2-12 Governor 2-13 (9) One member selected from the Galveston Bay 2-14 Foundation and the Galveston Bay Conservation and Preservation 2-15 Association. 2-16 SECTION 3. The Port Regionalization and Megaport Advisory 2-17 Committee may work with the Port Authority Advisory Committee 2-18 established pursuant to Transportation Code, Section 53.001, for 2-19 the purposes of producing the report required in this act. 2-20 SECTION 4. This act takes effect immediately. 2-21 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the 2-22 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-23 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-24 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-25 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.