SRC-TBR S.B. 896 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 896
By: Shapiro
Finance
4/2/2001
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, the state contributes $7.3 million from the state highway fund
to the County and Road District Highway Fund.  This amount was established
in 1954 and has not changed since its inception. As proposed, S.B. 896 caps
the state's contribution to the County and Road District Highway Funds and
creates a new allocation formula for distribution of state funds. 

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 Sections 256.002(b) and (c), Transportation Code, as
follows: 

(b)  Requires the money appropriated under Subsection (a) to be allocated
among the counties as follows: 

(1) One-half according to total county population, determined by the ratio
of the population of the county to the population of the state, and
one-half, according to miles of lanes of county roads, determined by the
ratio of the mileage of lanes of county roads in the county to the mileage
of lanes of county roads in the state as of January 1, of the year of the
allocation as shown by the records of the department.  Deletes language
regarding lateral roads and the State Federal Highway Planning survey.
Deletes language providing for the money to be allocated in amounts equal
to one-fifth according to area, two-fifths according to rural population,
and two-fifths according to miles of lanes. 

(2) Requires that each county receive no less than 150 percent of the
funding it received in fiscal year 2000. 

(c)  Authorizes the Texas Transportation Commission (commission), on its
own motion or at the request of a county, to have a survey made of the
county's lane mileage, rather than lateral road mileage.  Requires that if
a survey is made, the result will be substituted for the corresponding
governmental information to be used under  Subsection (b)(2), rather than
(b)(3). 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 256.003(a),Transportation Code, to authorize a
county to use the money it receives under Section 256.002 for funding
contracts for construction and maintaining lateral roads, as provided by
Chapter 262, Local Government Code. 

SECTION 3.  Amends Section 152.122, Tax Code, to require the comptroller in
depositing the funds received under Section 152.121, to allocate one
percent to the credit of the county and road district highway fund. 

 SECTION 4.  Effective date: September 1, 2001.