1-1 By: Cain S.B. No. 537
1-2 (In the Senate - Filed February 16, 1999; February 17, 1999,
1-3 read first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs;
1-4 March 8, 1999, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
1-5 Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; March 8, 1999,
1-6 sent to printer.)
1-7 COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 537 By: Cain
1-8 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-9 AN ACT
1-10 relating to agreements by and the authority of regional tollway
1-11 authorities.
1-12 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-13 SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 201, Transportation Code,
1-14 is amended by adding Section 201.113 to read as follows:
1-15 Sec. 201.113. AGREEMENTS WITH REGIONAL TOLLWAY AUTHORITIES.
1-16 (a) Notwithstanding Sections 221.003 and 224.031, the commission
1-17 and a regional tollway authority governed by Chapter 366 may enter
1-18 into an agreement for the improvement by a regional tollway
1-19 authority of portions of the state highway system.
1-20 (b) In this section, "improvement" means construction,
1-21 reconstruction, maintenance, and the making of a necessary plan or
1-22 survey before beginning construction, reconstruction, or
1-23 maintenance and includes a project or activity appurtenant to a
1-24 state highway, including drainage facilities, surveying, traffic
1-25 counts, driveways, landscaping, lights, or guardrails.
1-26 SECTION 2. Subchapter I, Chapter 201, Transportation Code,
1-27 is amended by adding Section 201.707 to read as follows:
1-28 Sec. 201.707. AGREEMENTS FOR SERVICES ON REGIONAL TOLLWAY
1-29 AUTHORITY PROJECTS. Notwithstanding Section 201.703(c), the
1-30 department and a regional tollway authority governed by Chapter 366
1-31 may enter into an agreement for the provision by the department,
1-32 for fair and reasonable compensation, of services on the regional
1-33 tollway authority's turnpike projects, including but not limited to
1-34 courtesy patrols.
1-35 SECTION 3. The section heading and Subsection (a), Section
1-36 545.354, Transportation Code, are amended to read as follows:
1-37 Sec. 545.354. AUTHORITY OF TEXAS TURNPIKE AUTHORITY AND
1-38 REGIONAL TOLLWAY AUTHORITIES TO ALTER SPEED LIMITS ON TURNPIKE
1-39 PROJECTS. (a)(1) In this section, "authority" means the Texas
1-40 Turnpike Authority or a regional tollway authority governed by
1-41 Chapter 366.
1-42 (2) If an authority [the Texas Turnpike Authority]
1-43 determines from the results of an engineering and traffic
1-44 investigation that a prima facie speed limit described in this
1-45 subchapter is unreasonable or unsafe on a part of a turnpike
1-46 constructed and maintained by the authority, the authority by order
1-47 recorded in its minutes shall determine and declare a reasonable
1-48 and safe prima facie speed limit for vehicles or classes of
1-49 vehicles on the turnpike.
1-50 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-51 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the
1-52 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-53 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-54 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-55 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
1-56 * * * * *