By Lindsay                                             S.B. No. 123
         77R582 DRH-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the appointment of the governing board of certain
 1-3     metropolitan rapid transit authorities.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 451.501(g), Transportation Code, is
 1-6     amended to read as follows:
 1-7           (g)  This section does not apply to the board of an authority
 1-8     described by Section 451.5021(a) or 451.5022(a).
 1-9           SECTION 2.  Sections 451.502(a) and (f), Transportation Code,
1-10     are amended to read as follows:
1-11           (a)  The five board members under Section 451.501(a)(1) are
1-12     appointed by the governing body of the principal municipality [,
1-13     except in an authority having a principal municipality with a
1-14     population of more than 1.2 million, the five board members are
1-15     appointed by the mayor of the principal municipality and are
1-16     subject to confirmation by the governing body of the principal
1-17     municipality].
1-18           (f)  This section does not apply to the board of an authority
1-19     described by Section 451.5021(a) or 451.5022(a).
1-20           SECTION 3.  Subchapter K, Chapter 451, Transportation Code,
1-21     is amended by adding Section 451.5022 to read as follows:
1-22           Sec. 451.5022.  BOARD COMPOSITION; AUTHORITY HAVING PRINCIPAL
1-23     MUNICIPALITY WITH POPULATION GREATER THAN 1.2 MILLION.  (a)  This
1-24     section applies only to the board of an authority having a
 2-1     principal municipality with a population of more than 1.2 million. 
 2-2           (b)  The board is composed of nine members who are appointed
 2-3     as follows:
 2-4                 (1)  four members appointed by the mayor of the
 2-5     principal municipality who are subject to confirmation by the
 2-6     governing body of the principal municipality;
 2-7                 (2)  three members appointed by the commissioners court
 2-8     of the principal county; and
 2-9                 (3)  two members appointed by a panel composed of:
2-10                       (A)  the mayors of the municipalities in the
2-11     authority, excluding the mayor of the principal municipality; and
2-12                       (B)  the county judges of the counties having
2-13     unincorporated area in the authority, excluding the county judge of
2-14     the principal county.
2-15           (c)  In this section, "principal county" has the meaning
2-16     assigned by Section 451.501(f).
2-17           SECTION 4.  (a)  This section applies only to an authority
2-18     governed by a board to which Section 451.5022, Transportation Code,
2-19     as added by this Act, applies.
2-20           (b)  The changes in law made by this Act do not affect the
2-21     entitlement of a member serving on the board immediately before the
2-22     effective date of this Act to continue to carry out the member's
2-23     functions for the remainder of the member's term.  On the
2-24     expiration of the first term of a member appointed by the mayor of
2-25     the principal municipality, as defined by Section 451.001,
2-26     Transportation Code, that occurs on or after the effective date of
2-27     this Act, the commissioners court of the county shall make an
 3-1     appointment to fill the term.
 3-2           SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
 3-3     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
 3-4     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
 3-5     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
 3-6     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.