SRC-SEW H.B. 1718 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 1718
77R5507 JD-FBy: Davis, Yvonne (Cain)
State Affairs
5/2/2001
Engrossed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, appointments to the board of directors of the North
Texas Tollway Authority are made by the governor and the commissioners
court of each of the four counties in which the turnpike project is
located. Because the governor makes three of the seven appointments, the
governor has greater appointment authority than the commissioners court of
each county.  As proposed, H.B. 1718 requires the governor to make one
appointment to the board of directors of a regional tollway authority, and
requires the commissioners courts of the counties of the authority to make
the remaining appointments.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a
state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 366.251, Transportation Code, as follows:

 Sec.  366.251.Requires the governor to appoint one director, rather than
three directors, 
to serve on the board of directors of the North Texas Tollway Authority.
Requires the commissioners courts of certain counties, in addition to
directors appointed by a commissioners court under this section, to appoint
two additional directors according to certain guidelines. Deletes language
requiring two directors to reside in a county of the authority for a
certain time period.  Requires the director appointed by the governor to
have resided in a county outside the authority that is adjacent to a county
of the authority for at least one year before the person's appointment.
Makes a conforming change.  Requires certain directors appointed by a
commissioners court under this section to have resided in a county of the
authority for at least one year before the person's appointment.  Deletes
language requiring the governor to attempt to create a board that is
representative of the diversity of the authority. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 366.254(a), Transportation Code, to make
conforming changes. 

SECTION 3.  Effective date: September 1, 2001.  
Provides that a director of a regional tollway authority appointed by the
governor, whose term expires on or before September 1, 2001, continues to
serve until that director's replacement is appointed under Section 366.251,
Transportation Code, as amended by this Act.  Requires the commissioners
court of the applicable county or counties, as soon as practicable after
the effective date of this Act, to appoint one director to the board of
directors of a regional tollway authority under Section 366.251,
Transportation Code, as amended by this Act.