1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to requiring the Texas Department of Transportation to
 1-3     establish and maintain a state airport in Central Texas.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Transportation Code, is
 1-6     amended by adding Section 21.069 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 21.069.  STATE AIRPORT IN CENTRAL TEXAS. (a)  The
 1-8     department, in consultation with the State Aircraft Pooling Board,
 1-9     shall establish a state airport in Central Texas that is open to
1-10     the general public.
1-11           (b)  In determining an appropriate location for the airport,
1-12     the department shall consider:
1-13                 (1)  the convenience, comfort, and accommodation of air
1-14     traffic flying into and departing from the Central Texas region,
1-15     including persons traveling for business and commercial reasons,
1-16     government officials, and tourists; and
1-17                 (2)  the safe operation of aircraft flying into and
1-18     departing from the Central Texas region.
1-19           (c)  In determining an appropriate location for the airport,
1-20     the department may not consider:
1-21                 (1)  any property in a municipality without the
1-22     approval of the governing body of the municipality;
1-23                 (2)  any property outside of a municipality without the
1-24     approval of the commissioners court of the county in which the
 2-1     property is located; or
 2-2                 (3)  the property in Austin, Texas, identified as
 2-3     Robert Mueller Airport.
 2-4           (d)  The commission may acquire by the exercise of eminent
 2-5     domain property that the commission considers necessary to enable
 2-6     the department to meet its responsibilities under this section.
 2-7           (e)  The department may utilize only federal matching funds,
 2-8     federal grants, in-kind contributions, private sector funds,
 2-9     nonprofit grants, and local government funding for the
2-10     establishment of this facility.
2-11           (f)  The department shall have all the powers necessary or
2-12     appropriate to implement this section, including all the powers
2-13     granted to a local government under Chapters 22, 23, and 25.
2-14           (g)  Upon completion of the construction of the airport, the
2-15     department shall contract with a private entity or a county or
2-16     municipality for the long-term management, operation, and
2-17     maintenance of the facility.  Such contract shall comply with all
2-18     applicable Federal Aviation Agency regulations relating to the
2-19     management, operation, and maintenance of an airport.
2-20           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
2-21     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
2-22     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
2-23     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
2-24     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
         _______________________________     _______________________________
             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House
               I certify that H.B. No. 2522 was passed by the House on May
         9, 2001, by a non-record vote; and that the House concurred in
         Senate amendments to H.B. No. 2522 on May 25, 2001, by the
         following vote:  Yeas 138, Nays 0, 4 present, not voting.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House
               I certify that H.B. No. 2522 was passed by the Senate, with
         amendments, on May 21, 2001, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays
         0, 1 present, not voting.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Secretary of the Senate
         APPROVED:  __________________________
                              Date
                    __________________________
                            Governor