1-1     By:  Solis (Senate Sponsor - Lucio)                   H.B. No. 2616
 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House April 30, 2001;
 1-3     April 30, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on State
 1-4     Affairs; May 11, 2001, reported favorably by the following vote:
 1-5     Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 11, 2001, sent to printer.)
 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-7                                   AN ACT
 1-8     relating to a prohibition against converting the Queen Isabella
 1-9     Causeway to a turnpike project.
1-10           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-11           SECTION 1. Section 362.0041, Transportation Code, is amended
1-12     by amending Subsection (a)  and adding Subsection (d) to read as
1-13     follows:
1-14           (a)  Except as provided in Subsection (d), if [If] the
1-15     commission finds that the conversion of a segment of the free state
1-16     highway system to a toll facility is the most feasible and economic
1-17     means to accomplish necessary expansion improvements, or extensions
1-18     to the state highway system, that segment may be converted by order
1-19     of the commission to a turnpike project under Chapter 361.
1-20           (d)  The commission may not convert the Queen Isabella
1-21     Causeway in Cameron County to a turnpike project.
1-22           SECTION 2. Section 366.035, Transportation Code, is amended
1-23     by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (g) to read as
1-24     follows:
1-25           (a)  Except as provided under Subsection (g), if [If] the
1-26     commission determines that the most feasible and economic means to
1-27     accomplish necessary expansion, improvements, or extensions to the
1-28     state highway system is the conversion to a turnpike project of a
1-29     segment of the free state highway system, any segment located in a
1-30     county of an authority or a county in which an authority operates a
1-31     turnpike project or in any county adjacent to those counties may,
1-32     on approval of the governor and the affected authority, be
1-33     transferred by order of the commission to that authority. An
1-34     authority that receives the segment of highway may own, operate,
1-35     and maintain the segment as a turnpike project or system or a part
1-36     of a turnpike project or system under this chapter.
1-37           (g)  The commission may not transfer the Queen Isabella
1-38     Causeway in Cameron County to an authority under this section.
1-39           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
1-40     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
1-41     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
1-42     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
1-43     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
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