By Barrientos                                         S.B. No. 1079
         77R7637 JAT-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the creation and governance of an intermunicipal
 1-3     commuter rail district.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Sections 2(b) and (c), Article 6550c-1, Revised
 1-6     Statutes, are amended to read as follows:
 1-7           (b)  A district is created on passage of a resolution
 1-8     favoring the creation of the district by the governing body of each
 1-9     creating municipality [and the governing body of each county in
1-10     which a creating municipality is located].
1-11           (c)  The following political subdivisions may become a part
1-12     of a district created under Subsection (b) of this section with the
1-13     approval of the governing body of the political subdivision:
1-14                 (1)  a county located adjacent to a county in which a
1-15     creating municipality is located; [and]
1-16                 (2)  a municipality with a population of more than
1-17     18,000 located in a county described by Subdivision (1) of this
1-18     subsection; and
1-19                 (3)  a county in which a creating municipality is
1-20     located.
1-21           SECTION 2. Section 3(b), Article 6550c-1, Revised Statutes,
1-22     is amended to read as follows:
1-23           (b)  The board is composed of the following members:
1-24                 (1)  two public members appointed by the commission;
 2-1                 (2)  one elected member of the governing body of each
 2-2     political subdivision that has become a part of the district under
 2-3     Section 2 of this article;
 2-4                 (3)  one elected member appointed by the regional
 2-5     planning organization of which a creating municipality is a part;
 2-6                 (4)  one member appointed by each creating municipality
 2-7     to represent the business community of the municipality;
 2-8                 (5)  one member appointed by each authority created
 2-9     under Chapter 451, Transportation Code, that serves a creating
2-10     municipality;
2-11                 (6)  if the district was formed before September 1,
2-12     2001, one member appointed by each county in which a creating
2-13     municipality is located to represent transportation providers that
2-14     provide service to rural areas in the county; and
2-15                 (7)  one member appointed by all other board members to
2-16     represent all municipalities in the district that do not otherwise
2-17     have representation on the board and who shall be an elected
2-18     official of one of those municipalities.
2-19           SECTION 3. Section 4, Article 6550c-1, Revised Statutes, is
2-20     amended by adding Subsection (s) to read as follows:
2-21           (s)  The board of a district shall create an advisory
2-22     committee to assist in the governance of the district.  The
2-23     advisory committee shall be composed of members who reside in each
2-24     county in which the district is located.  A county may choose not
2-25     to participate in the advisory committee.  Members of the advisory
2-26     committee shall be designated by the commissioners court of each
2-27     participating county.
 3-1           SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.  The
 3-2     change made by this Act to Section 2(b), Article 6550c-1, Revised
 3-3     Statutes, applies only to a commuter rail district formed on or
 3-4     after the effective date of this Act.